The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) faces possible loss of federal funding after being targeted by a Trump administration executive order 14253, also called “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” America’s History SOS (Save Our Smithsonian), an advocacy group founded by a collective of Black lawyers, is leading the effort to stop the order.
The Save Our Smithsonian organization has launched a petition urging supporters to demand a halt to the executive order, which instructs Vice President J.D. Vance to ensure the Smithsonian Institution’s exhibits align with what they define as “American Greatness.” The order mandates the review and removal of exhibits that would “divide Americans based on race,” “degrade shared American values,” or are “anti-American.
In the petition, organizers criticize the Trump administration’s definition of “American greatness,” which they say seeks to erase Black Americans’ stories and contributions to history.
“The National Museum of African American History and Culture was established to tell the truth of African American history—the struggles, the triumphs, and the countless contributions African Americans have made to the United States of America. For generations, Americans of all backgrounds fought to establish the Museum—not only to honor the history and contributions of African Americans, but out of a deep conviction that the nation must reckon with its past and finally honor and acknowledge the truth,“ the Change.org petition reads.
Save Our Smithsonian organizers say the executive order attempts to rewrite history and erase the history of slavery, discrimination, and violence brought against Black people in America.
“Whitewashing this shared history isn’t just an attack on the Museum’s integrity—it’s an assault on America’s collective memory.”
The petition calls on the president to rescind Executive Order 14253 and urges that NMAAHC and the Smithsonian stay free from political influence.
Soon after its release in March 2025, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Yvette D. Clark condemned the order, calling it ‘blatantly racist.”
“There is nothing divisive or improper about telling the truth. We detest this administration’s dedication to whitewashing our nation’s history. Donald Trump’s idea that the National Museum of African American History and Culture is guilty of distorting our nation’s history or painting our “founding principles” in a “negative light” is patently ridiculous.” Clark said in a statement.
Sign the petition to support AHSOS’s initiative.
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