For decades, teachers across the U.S. have trusted the Smithsonian Institution to provide accurate, inclusive, and expertly curated materials to bring American history to life in the classroom. Now, that trust is under threat.

The Trump administration has launched a sweeping review of all public-facing Smithsonian content—including its curriculum materials, digital archives, and classroom resources used by millions of educators. The stated goal? To assess “tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals”—language that many educators recognize as a push for political influence over what students are allowed to learn.

This is not just a review of museum exhibits. It’s a quiet attempt to politicize one of the most trusted sources of historical education in the country.

More than 80% of U.S. history teachers use Smithsonian resources.

From digitized artifacts to lesson plans on civil rights, slavery, Indigenous history, and disability rights, these materials have helped educators fill in the gaps left by outdated textbooks and shrinking school budgets. Teachers rely on the Smithsonian to present facts—not filtered narratives.

We, the undersigned, call on the Smithsonian Board of Regents, Congressional leaders, and the Department of Education to:

• Defend the academic independence of Smithsonian content
• Ensure that all Smithsonian education materials remain peer-reviewed and historian-led
• Reject any political edits, removals, or reframing of historical facts to serve an agenda.

Our classrooms are not campaign stages. Our students deserve a full, honest picture of American history—one that acknowledges both the triumphs and the injustices.