President Trump just launched a federal review of Smithsonian museums—accusing them of focusing too much on “how bad slavery was.”

Now, some of the most powerful exhibits on slavery, resistance, and Black history in America could be rewritten, removed, or whitewashed.

This isn’t just rhetoric. The Trump administration has already pulled federal funding from major universities over disagreements on “woke” programming. Now it’s demanding that Smithsonian curators hand over exhibit content and make “content corrections” that align with the White House’s preferred version of history.

Artifacts have already started disappearing. NBC News confirmed that at least 32 items were removed from the National Museum of African American History and Culture—including Harriet Tubman’s hymnbook. Experts fear this is only the beginning.

The Smithsonian is home to the most comprehensive collection of African American history and slavery-related artifacts in the world. These exhibits were built with input from historians, descendants, and educators—not politicians. To rewrite this history is not just an attack on academic freedom—it’s an attack on truth.

We cannot allow elected officials to censor our nation’s past. The horrors of slavery, the resilience of Black communities, and the fight for civil rights are not “too negative”—they are essential to understanding who we are and where we’re going.

This petition calls on President Trump: Stop interfering in the curatorial independence of the Smithsonian.

Members of Congress: Protect Smithsonian funding and ensure no federal pressure distorts historical truth.

The Smithsonian Board of Regents: Refuse political demands that compromise the integrity of your collections.
 

History belongs to all of us—not just those in power.