07/09/2026
I got this in my inbox and felt it was vital to share with the larger history-loving community. â¤ď¸
Statement in Response to the White House âSaving America's Storyâ Report and in Support of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Published July 9, 2026
The National Council on Public History (NCPH) rejects the ďŹndings of the âSaving Americaâs Storyâ report on the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. This unserious and distorted document violates the professional ethics and values that have guided history institutions, museums, and cultural organizations for generations. It also fails to reďŹect the basic and fundamental standards of scholarship, including an accurate interpretation of the full evidentiary record.
Yet its implications are signiďŹcant. By seeking to shape public history through political interference, the report threatens the independence of the Smithsonian and the public's trust in museums. It is an outgrowth of Executive Order 14253 (âRestoring Truth and Sanity to American Historyâ), which has repeatedly been used to undermine federal museums and historic sites and the work of dedicated and skilled government historians.
NCPH rejects authoritarian eďŹorts to rewrite and simplify our rich and complex history; we reject the Trump administrationâs attempt to control knowledge; we reject eďŹorts to silence the voices of communities of color, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ individuals; we reject the dismissal of intellectual freedom, expertise, and collaboration.
We aďŹrm that history must be grounded in rigorous evidence, professional expertise, open inquiry, and collaboration with communities who hold stories, materials, and memories that expand understanding of our past. While historians debate interpretation, those debates are informed by evidence and peer review; they are not based on political directive. An accurate portrayal of the past requires engaging with the full range of historical experiences and perspectives, not diminishing the experiences and reality of our countryâs diverse people. Inclusive history is not partisan historyâ it is honest history."
Continued in the comments...