Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch announced that he is stepping down as the institution he leads faces an escalating battle with the Trump administration over how it tells the American story. Geoff Bennett spoke with Bunch about the political pressure, what’s at stake for the Smithsonian and how he sees his legacy. It's for our Art in Action series exploring the intersection of art and democracy.Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.
Geoff Bennett:
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch announced today that he is stepping down as the institution he leads faces an escalating battle with the Trump administration over how it tells the American story.Bunch, the first African American to lead the Smithsonian, plans to retire at the end of the year, capping a career that transformed the institution. He was the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which marks its 10th anniversary this month.I spoke with Bunch last week, before he announced his retirement, about the political pressure, what's at stake for the Smithsonian, and how he sees his legacy. It's part of our series Art in Action, exploring the intersection of art and democracy, part of our Canvas coverage.
