'America's greatest strength is understanding how its history shaped us': Smithsonian chief
Washington, July 6
The United States must confront, rather than erase, its difficult past if it hopes to fulfil the promise of its democracy, Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch said as America marked the 250th anniversary of its independence, arguing that understanding history is one of the country's greatest strengths.
Speaking during NBC's special Meet the Press broadcast marking America's 250th anniversary, Bunch said the nation's founding ideals remain a work in progress that require every generation to strive towards a "more perfect union."
"To me it means that we are always in pursuit. We are in pursuit of the promise of America," Bunch said. "That in essence, we'll almost never get there, and that's okay. That the notion of being a more perfect union, not the perfect union, is really what motivates me."
He said the country's history should be embraced in its entirety, including its most painful chapters.
"America's greatest strength, it's not running away from its history, but it's understanding how that history shaped us and continues to shape us," Bunch said.
Bunch, the first Black Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, reflected on his family's journey from slavery to leadership of one of the world's leading museum and research institutions.
He described his grandfather as a sharecropper from North Carolina who spent ten years earning a college degree before attending dental school at Howard University and practising dentistry for five decades.
"I think he would be astonished," Bunch said when asked what his grandfather would think of his achievements. "He'd be proud of America. Proud of a nation that can come out of slavery, and Jim Crow and Civil Rights, to basically say, 'It's possible for someone like me to be part of this amazing group called the Smithsonian.'"
Bunch also recalled the challenge of creating the National Museum of African American History and Culture, saying he wanted it to tell not only the story of African Americans but also the story of the United States.
"I realised that this was an opportunity not to build an African American museum like I would've done it 40 years ago, but to basically say, 'This is a story of a community, but it's also the story of a nation,'" he said.
One of the museum's greatest successes, he said, came through a nationwide effort to preserve family heirlooms and historical artefacts that had never entered public collections.
Bunch said the project gathered around 40,000 objects, with roughly 70 per cent coming from "basements, trunks and attics of people's homes."
"People trusted us," he said. "You're not building a museum. You're holding people's culture, people's hands, people's hopes in your hands."
Reflecting on America's deep political divisions, Bunch said museums have an important role in helping citizens understand complexity rather than seek simplistic answers.
"I think the Smithsonian, in some ways, is the glue that helps hold a nation together," he said. "The Smithsonian gives you ambiguity. It helps you understand complexity, nuance, subtlety, debate."
He added that helping people become comfortable with differing interpretations of history could strengthen democracy itself.
"If you could help people feel comfortable with ambiguity, then you could help a nation move forward," he said.
Founded in 1846, the Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum, education and research complex, comprising 21 museums, the National Zoo and numerous research centres. It preserves millions of artefacts documenting American history, science, culture and innovation.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As an American living in India, I find this deeply moving. The idea of "pursuing a more perfect union" resonates here too—India's constitution is a living document, and our democracy is constantly evolving. Bunch's grandfather story is incredible: sharecropper to dentist to Smithsonian leader. That's the real American dream.
I appreciate the sentiment, but India's situation is different. We've had continuous civilisation for millennia—our "difficult past" isn't just slavery and segregation, it's centuries of caste hierarchy and colonial exploitation. The Smithsonian model is inspiring, but we need our own approach. That said, Bunch's emphasis on preserving family artefacts is brilliant. So many Indian stories are lost in attics and trunks.
Bunch is spot-on: "ambiguity, nuance, subtlety, debate"—that's what real education looks like. In today's polarised world, we need more spaces that allow for complex conversations. Whether it's America's founding sins or India's own struggles, the only way forward is through honest reckoning. Well said, sir.
I admire the ambition, but let's be realistic. In America, they can have these conversations because their democracy is mature. In India, we're still fighting over which textbook narrative should dominate. We can't even agree on whether Nehru was a hero or villain. Maybe we need our own "Smithsonian moment" first before we can embrace ambiguity.
The bit about 70% artefacts coming from people's homes really touched me. That's how we preserve history—not just in museums but in family stories.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.