Save the Smithsonian! A Citizen One Action

J.D. Vance is being tasked with removing diversity and non-white culture from the Smithsonian Museums. Protest now, to stop it!

A Citizen One Action

Sky News reported that Vice President JD Vance will be “in charge of removing "improper ideology" from all areas of the the Smithsonian Institution, which is partly funded by the US government, in what is being seen as Mr Trump's latest culture wars attack.”

What is the Smithsonian?

The Smithsonian Institution, partially funded by the federal government, is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, comprising 21 museums, the National Zoo, and research centers. It preserves over 155 million artifacts, spanning art, history, culture, and science.

Notable museums include:

MAGA Highly Endangered

Museums that honor contributions of anyone of color are likely targets of “improper ideology.” If you live in the greater D.C. Metro area, organize protests that rotate through these Museums. Enlist the help of groups whose art, and history are going to be wiped out by J.D. Vance and the MAGAts that they installed on the Museum’s Board.

Most Likely Targets

These museums would be especially vulnerable:

• National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC):
  Frequently criticized by right-wing commentators for addressing systemic racism, slavery, and civil rights movements.

• National Museum of the American Indian:
  Focus on colonization and Indigenous resistance may be viewed as challenging patriotic narratives.

• National Museum of African Art:
  Could be targeted for its post-colonial critique and efforts to repatriate stolen objects.

• Anacostia Community Museum:
  Deals directly with social justice, urban inequality, and African American community history.

• Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden & Renwick Gallery:
  Contemporary art often reflects critical takes on modern politics, identity, and climate—frequent targets for culture war critiques.

• Smithsonian American Art Museum & National Portrait Gallery:
  Could be pressured to de-emphasize works or subjects related to gender, LGBTQ+ identity, or racial justice.

Washington, D.C.:

• National Museum of American History
  U.S. history—politics, culture, technology, and iconic American artifacts.

• National Museum of African American History and Culture
  African American life, history, and culture from slavery to the present.

• National Museum of African Art
  Traditional and contemporary African art across the continent.

• National Museum of the American Indian
  Indigenous cultures of the Americas—history, art, and cultural heritage.

• Anacostia Community Museum
  Urban communities and social issues, with a focus on African American experiences.

• National Portrait Gallery
  Portraits of significant Americans from history, politics, arts, and culture.

• National Museum of Natural History
  Natural sciences—fossils, minerals, human origins, animals, and ecosystems.

• National Air and Space Museum
  Aviation and space exploration—aircraft, spacecraft, and related technologies.

• Smithsonian American Art Museum
  American art from the colonial period to contemporary works.

• Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
  Asian art—Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Islamic, and contemporary Asian works.

• Chantilly, Virginia:

  • Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
    Companion to the Air and Space Museum; features large aircraft and spacecraft. Given that, in March, the Trump Administration removed anything with the word “gay” in it from the Pentagon archives, in their DEI purge there, including rare photographs of the Enola Gay, one of the aircraft that dropped the first atomic bombs on Japan. The restored aircraft is on display at Udvar-Hazy. Yes, it is this crazy, that it could be removed from the collection for this level of rank stupidity.

MAGA Moderate Endangered

Washington, D.C.:

• Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
  Modern and contemporary art, including sculpture and multimedia installations.

• Freer Gallery of Art
  Asian art and American art from James McNeill Whistler and Charles Lang Freer’s collection.

• Renwick Gallery
  American craft and decorative arts.

• Smithsonian Institution Building (“The Castle”)
  Visitor center and general information hub for the Smithsonian.

• National Postal Museum
  Postal history, philately (stamp collecting), and mail-related artifacts.

• National Zoological Park (National Zoo)
  Wildlife conservation, education, and endangered species research.

New York City:

• Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
  Historical and contemporary design—industrial, graphic, interior, and more.

How Do I Organize A Protest to Save the Smithsonian?

Sign

First thing that you can do is sign the Change.org Petition:

Organize

If you live in the Metro D.C. area, work for the Smithsonian, or just love art and want to set up protests in other cities, take a leadership role.

Contact organizations that have an agenda that will be in sync with your protest, for help on organizing one:

• ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)
  Offers legal support and protest rights resources; may assist if censorship or free expression is at stake.

• NAACP
  Active in preserving African American history and may support protests defending museums like NMAAHC.

• Color of Change
  Mobilizes people around issues of racial justice; could support calls to protect exhibits from political interference.

• National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
  Defends Native sovereignty and culture; likely to support the National Museum of the American Indian.

Arts and Museum Advocacy Groups

These focus specifically on defending museums, historical artifacts, and curatorial freedom:

• American Alliance of Museums (AAM)
  Can amplify museum-related causes, provide talking points, and connect organizers to institutional allies.

• PEN America
  Champions free expression, including in the arts. May help mobilize resistance to censorship or politically motivated removals.

• Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD)
  While more institutionally focused, they often issue public statements and help coordinate support across museums.

---

Grassroots & Civic Mobilization Networks

• MoveOn.org
  Helps organize progressive petitions and in-person rallies across the U.S. with logistical tools and visibility.

• Indivisible
  Offers a national network of local chapters that can assist with organizing events and applying political pressure.

• March for Science
  Has experience organizing large-scale D.C. protests to support fact-based institutions, including the Smithsonian.

• Democracy for America and People for the American Way
  These groups often support civic protests and campaigns against political overreach into public institutions.

---

Academic and Cultural Heritage Allies

• American Historical Association (AHA)
  Could issue supportive statements or participate in educational outreach for protests.

• Scholars for Social Justice or university-based coalitions
  Professors, students, and historians can organize teach-ins or peaceful rallies to defend historical integrity.

You can meet here. Just use this article as a commentary forum to chat and organize!