Lonnie G. Bunch III, born November 18, 1952, in Newark, New Jersey, is an eminent American historian, curator, and educator. He is best known as the founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC), which he led from 2005 until 2019 before becoming the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Bunch is the first African American and the first historian to hold this prestigious secretary position, which he assumed on June 16, 2019[2][3][6][8]. Bunch’s career spans over four decades, during which he has played a pivotal role in reshaping public understanding of American history through museums. He began his professional journey as an educator and museum specialist, holding roles at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and National Museum of American History. He was also the founding curator of the California African American Museum and served as president of the Chicago Historical Society before directing the NMAAHC[4][8]. Under Bunch’s leadership, the National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in 2016 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The museum has become the nation’s largest cultural destination devoted to exploring African American history and culture, amassing a collection of around 40,000 objects and welcoming over 11 million visitors. His efforts in establishing the museum have been recognized as transformative, including a Harvard Business Review case study on its creation[3][1]. As Smithsonian Secretary, Bunch oversees 21 museums, 21 libraries, the National Zoo, and numerous research and education centers. He also supervises the development of two new museums: the National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum[3][5]. In 2021, he received France’s highest civilian honor, the Legion of Honor, acknowledging his contributions to cultural preservation and education[5]. Bunch is a prolific author, having documented the process of building the NMAAHC in his book *A Fool’s Errand: Building the National Museum of African American History and Culture in the Age of Bush, Obama, and Trump*. He remains a prominent figure in museum leadership and public history.
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Learn about the ongoing dispute between President Trump and the Smithsonian over leadership and personnel decisions, and the institution's commitment to remaining nonpartisan.