Columnist Philip Kennicott reports that the Smithsonian's most contested exhibition has returned to public view, largely intact, despite ongoing culture war attacks from the Trump administration. Since Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, the Smithsonian has been a primary target for the administration's campaign against diversity and inclusion initiatives, as well as historical narratives that address slavery, Native American genocide, and the struggles of marginalized communities.
This matters because the Smithsonian is a federally funded institution, making it vulnerable to political pressure that could reshape how American history is presented to the public. The exhibition's survival mostly intact represents a significant stand against efforts to whitewash or sanitize difficult chapters of U.S. history, and the controversy reflects broader national debates over historical memory, representation, and the role of museums in a polarized political climate.