Smithsonian's Black History Museum Marks 10 Years With 'Welcome Home' Celebration

The National Museum of African American History and Culture marked the 10th anniversary of its opening on Thursday, launching a weekend of celebrations under the theme "Welcome Home. Our Legacy Continues."

Events are being held at the museum's home on the National Mall and at The Wharf along the Washington Channel of the Potomac River. The festivities are expected to carry the feel of a family reunion, with Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday" among the musical tributes.

"Our anniversary is founded on theme of 'Welcome Home. Our Legacy Continues,'" said Shanita Brackett, the museum's acting director. "And with that legacy it means we are planning our next 10, frankly 20 years of exhibitions right now."

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, the museum's founding director who announced his plan to retire earlier this month, will headline "Understanding America," a discussion held to commemorate the anniversary.

The museum, often called the "Blacksonian" by its most devoted visitors, has faced hostility from President Donald Trump's administration. Last year, the president signed an executive order seeking to change a range of federally supported museums and landmarks. The Interior Department has also removed dozens of displays from national monuments that highlighted the history of social activists, people of color, women and LGBTQ people.

The order directed federal officials to work with Congress to bar the Smithsonian from using federal funding for exhibits that allegedly "degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with federal law."

Smithsonian leadership, which answers to a board that includes lawmakers from both parties, private donors and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, says it has continued its work without interference.

Brackett said the museum remains committed to its core purpose. "Our mission of this museum is to capture and share the unvarnished truth of African American history and culture," she said. "We know that Black history is a part of American history."

She noted that the museum holds more than 48,000 objects but can display only about 3% of them at any one time, and that curators and collections staff are always seeking opportunities to share stories that have yet to be told.

The campaign for a landmark honoring African Americans on the National Mall dates back more than a century. In 1915, Black Civil War veterans called on lawmakers to establish a memorial recognizing their contributions to the war effort, often fighting for their own liberty. The idea advanced in fits and starts over the 20th century until calls to commemorate the legacy of the Civil Rights movement captured the interest of lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

The Museum of African American History and Culture was first approved by Congress in 2003 and opened its doors on Sept. 24, 2016. At its opening ceremony, then-President Barack Obama urged African Americans to see their story as an integral thread in the broader American story.