FAREWELL TO MR. LONNIE G. BUNCH III
You may have heard that Lonnie G. Bunch III—the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Smithsonian’s 14th Secretary—has retired after 38 remarkable years of service to the nation. His extraordinary dedication, including more than three decades at the Smithsonian, has left an enduring mark on the museum field in the United States and around the world.
In June 2019, historian Lonnie G. Bunch III made history as the Smithsonian’s first African American Secretary. The Smithsonian—the world’s largest museum complex—comprises 21 museums, 20 libraries, the National Zoo, and numerous research and education centers. With vision, resolve, and a deep commitment to public service, Bunch inspired innovation, broadened access to knowledge, and helped the Smithsonian tell a richer, more inclusive story of the United States from its founding to the present.
Bunch also guided a period of meaningful growth and transformation across the Smithsonian. During his tenure, Congress authorized the creation of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and the National Museum of the American Latino—important steps toward honoring more of the people and experiences that have shaped our nation. In another historic milestone, the Smithsonian Board of Regents designated the Arts and Industries Building on the National Mall as the permanent home of the National Museum of the American Latino.
Bunch beautifully captured the Smithsonian’s enduring purpose when he observed, “The Smithsonian has been a reservoir of science, history, art, and culture that freely allows the public to find knowledge, understanding, clarity, education, hope, and a bit of joy.”
All of us at Coalition4Justice in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, offer our heartfelt gratitude to Lonnie G. Bunch III. We deeply appreciate his vision, steadfast stewardship, exceptional leadership, and determination to ensure that America’s history is told with honesty, fullness, and care. His legacy will continue to educate, inspire, and uplift generations to come.
Dr. Bernadine Ahonkhai
Author: UNTOLD HISTORY, Africans in the American Diaspora
Award-winning Education & DEIJ Consultant
Founder/CEO, Coalition4Justice; www.coalition4justice.com
"If you don't tell your own story, someone else will." ~Michelle Obama, Former US First Lady
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