Lonnie Bunch
Cause & Community
Guarding Black culture & history
WASHINGTON, DC
Lonnie Bunch changed history as the founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. The historian spent over a decade building an educational center to make the country a better place. Though Bunch had no collections, funding or site when he first embarked on the project, the museum has seen more than six million visitors since its doors opened in 2016. It houses a collection of over 40,000 objects in a site on the National Mall.
Bunch was named the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian in 2019, making him the first Black person to hold the prestigious position. He currently oversees 19 museums, 21 libraries, the National Zoo and numerous research centers. Like with his time directing the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Bunch’s current role allows him to educate on the past to promote change for the future.
Ask About
HOW TO LEARN FROM THE PAST TO CHANGE THE FUTURE
HOW TO EDUCATE ON BLACK HISTORY
HOW TO EMPOWER THROUGH TEACHING
Tribes
American University
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Chicago Historical Society
Freedom Medal Award
W.E.B. Du Bois Medal
National Equal Justice Award