April 24, 2025
Black church buildings rally behind NMAAHC to guard it towards Trump’s latest government order.
Black church buildings throughout the nation have gotten members of the Nationwide Museum of African American Historical past and Tradition to defend it towards Trump’s accusations of pushing “divisive, race-centered ideology.”
Rev. Robert Turner of Empowerment Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore is encouraging his congregation to pay the $25 membership payment to hitch the African American historical past museum, AP stories. He credit the transfer to Rev. Otis Moss III of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, who urged his church members to do the identical.
“For under $25 a 12 months, you possibly can defend Black historical past,” Moss instructed his church.
Different pastors who’ve joined the motion embrace Rev. Jacqui J. Lewis, senior minister at Center Church in New York Metropolis, a multiracial congregation affiliated with the United Church of Christ, and Bishop Timothy Clarke of the First Church of God in Columbus, Ohio.
“We belonged to the museum since its opening, and we simply made one other donation to them in mild of this administration’s insurance policies,” Lewis stated, noting the $1,000 “Easter Love donation” the congregation gave the museum.
The church buildings’ rising assist for NMAAHC is available in response to Trump’s March 27 government order, which targets what he known as “divisive” Smithsonian reveals. The order additionally appoints Vice President JD Vance, who serves on the Smithsonian Board of Regents, to guide the cost in eradicating so-called “improper ideology” from these establishments.
Whereas Trump has pledged to “restore the Smithsonian Establishment to its rightful place as a logo of inspiration and American greatness,” critics accuse him of making an attempt to whitewash American historical past by glossing over the horrific truths surrounding slavery and segregation. Turner, who usually walks 43 miles from Baltimore to the White Home every month to advocate for reparations, recalled a latest second when a baby noticed his “REPARATIONS NOW” signal and turned to their mom to ask, “What are reparations?”
“That to me is an ideal manifestation about why we should be instructing extra true historical past of America, and never taking away sure topics as a result of they make individuals really feel uncomfortable,” Turner stated.
On April 18, Home Democrats on the Administration Committee, accountable for overseeing the Smithsonian, despatched a letter to JD Vance voicing their issues concerning the government order.
“This flagrant try to erase Black historical past is unacceptable and have to be stopped,” the letter stated. “The try to paper over parts of American historical past is each cowardly and unpatriotic.”
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