My mom and I outdoors the “Presente!” exhibit in July 2024 at the Molina Household Gallery, part of the Nationwide Museum of the American Latino in Washington, D.C.
Final summer season, my mother informed me she needed to go to Washington, D.C. and tour the entire historic websites and museums, “earlier than it was too late.” I did not actually perceive totally what she meant till now.
Quite a bit has modified this yr since President Donald Trump returned to workplace for his second time period. From scaling back diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to free speech issues and a major immigration crackdown, simply to call a number of. However probably the most stunning modifications I by no means thought I might see was the likelihood for an erasure of Black and Latino history.
Article continues under this advert
In March, Trump issued an executive order focusing on federal funds for the Smithsonian Establishment, a collective of museums, galleries and analysis facilities that doc American historical past in addition to monuments and memorials overseen by the Division of the Inside. The order, entitled “Restoring Fact and Sanity to American Historical past,” directs Vice President JD Vance to eradicate “improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology” from the museums and work with Congress to defund packages that “divide Individuals by race.”
Exterior view of the Smithsonian Nationwide Museum of American Historical past in Washington, D.C.
By August, the Trump administration sent a letter to the Smithsonian Establishment requiring a “complete inner overview” of eight museums together with American Historical past, American Artwork Museum, Pure Historical past and Air & House. This was the most recent in a collection of threats the president has been making for months to take away elements of the Smithsonian to reshape American historical past how he sees match.
Regardless of Trump’s efforts, the Smithsonian’s museums haven’t had any direct impacts on funding. Nonetheless, there have been some modifications to dozens of reveals showcasing the contributions of Latinos and African Individuals which might be concerning the public over what more could be lost under Trump.
Article continues under this advert
As an Afrolatina myself, I’ve all the time beloved studying concerning the tales of people that got here earlier than me and helped paved the way in which for future generations. Not solely is that this empowering, however it helps me really feel like my tradition is represented in areas, the place traditionally folks of coloration haven’t.
A Selena Quintanilla outfit on show on the Smithsonian’s Nationwide Museum of American Historical past in Washington, D.C.
So naturally, when my mother requested if I needed to go on a visit to see our nation’s capital in July 2024, I instantly stated sure! Upon touchdown at Washington Dulles Worldwide Airport, I began planning our vacationer itinerary, together with stops at iconic American monuments and naturally some Smithsonian museums.
In D.C., all Smithsonian museums are free as a result of they obtain a mixture of funding from the federal authorities, personal donors, foundations and extra all to assist their mission to teach the general public. On our first full day within the metropolis, we toured the Nationwide Museum of American Historical past, which was one in all our favorites.
Article continues under this advert
A San Antonio point out of ladies making tortillas within the Mexican Meals Revolution exhibit on the Nationwide Museum of American Historical past in July 2024 in Washington, D.C.
Inside, we found numerous reveals showcasing profitable Latino American tales and memorabilia from Selena Quintanilla’s iconic outfits to the accordion of San Antonio’s own Flaco Jimenez, who helped popularize conjunto music. Surprisingly, the Alamo Metropolis was talked about a number of instances all through the museum together with within the Mexican Meals Revolution exhibit and a now-closed bilingual exhibition known as, “¡De última hora! Latinas Report Breaking Information.”
Flaco Jimenez’s accordian on show on the Smithsonian Nationwide Museum of American Historical past in Washington, D.C.
San Antonio reporter Martha Tijerina highlighting amongst different Latina journalists on the “¡De última hora! Latinas Report Breaking Information” exhibit in 2024.
This set up, co-curated by San Antonio native and the museum’s communication director Melinda Machado, highlighted trailblazing journalists corresponding to Martha Tijerina, a former S.A. reporter on the nation’s first Spanish-language TV station, KWEX-TV. Though this exhibit shuttered in mid-August after its prolonged two-year run, Machado informed MySA the historical past of Spanish-language TV within the U.S. continues to be on view within the museum’s “American Enterprise” exhibition and the Aztec head from KWEX-TV’s authentic constructing may be seen on the Nationwide Mall entrance.
Article continues under this advert
Above all, the exhibition that my mom and I resonated with essentially the most was “¡Presente! A Latino History of the United States,” within the Molina Household Gallery, part of the National Museum of the American Latino. The favored exhibit, which introduced us to tears, chronicled how Latinos formed the nation by means of identification, immigration and biographies to find how our previous pertains to the current. It garnered practically 1 million guests over three years, earlier than closing its doorways in July.
My mom contained in the Presente! exhibit, part of the Molina Household Latino Gallery in July 2024 on the Nationwide Museum of American Historical past in Washington, D.C.
The Molina Galley is now being ready for NMAL’s second exhibition, “¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa,” set to open in April 2026. Amongst Trump’s proposed 2026 budget cuts to dozens of federally-funded packages are plans to cease the Smithsonian Nationwide Museum of the American Latino from increasing on the Nationwide Mall.
A spokesperson for the NMAL clarified to MySA that the exhibit’s was “pushed by the necessity to plan adequate time for a easy transition between the ‘Presente’ and ‘Puro Ritmo’ exhibitions,” in an effort to meet the deadline for the Smithsonian’s celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary subsequent spring.
Article continues under this advert
An exhibit on immigration within the “¡Presente! A Latino Historical past of the US” on the Nationwide Museum of American Historical past in July 2024.
“This plan permits time for workers to de-install ‘Presente,’ return current loans and obtain new loans for the upcoming exhibition, renovate the gallery, and set up ‘Puro Ritmo,'” the spokesperson stated. “The adjusted timeline was decided previous to the President’s proposed FY 2026 funds.”
Presently, the NMAL is rotating its reveals within the Molina Household Latino Gallery on the Nationwide Museum of American Historical past. The Smithsonian is working to construct an over 10,000-square-foot museum that “honors the dreams, challenges, and triumphs of U.S. Latinos,” much like the Nationwide Museum of the American Indian or the Nationwide Museum of African American Historical past and Tradition, which Trump has additionally criticized.
In an August social media post, Trump stated the Smithsonian is “OUT OF CONTROL” and fixates on “how dangerous slavery was” and “nothing about” American “success” and “brightness.” This contradicted his first term 2017 visit to the NMAAHC, the place he praised Lonnie Bunch, the secretary of the Smithsonian Establishment and referred to the museum as “unimaginable” and “achieved with love.”
Article continues under this advert
A wall on the historical past of slavery on the primary flooring of the Smithsonian’s African African American Historical past and Tradition Museum in July 2024.
Clips of Denzel Washington as Malcolm X performs on display screen of an exhibit of garments worn by profitable Black actors in films on the African African American Historical past and Tradition Museum in July 2024.
Throughout our D.C. journey, we additionally visited the NMAAHC which is divided into eight floors based on each era of African American History. Its floor degree is the one flooring devoted to slavery and freedom, whereas others present Black Individuals’ resilience throughout segregation and achievements in music, artwork, films and tradition.
Since Trump’s Smithsonian assaults, NBC News reported that at least 32 decades-old artifacts associated to slavery and civil rights have been eliminated from the Nationwide Museum of African American Historical past and Tradition. The museum responded on its website saying that “claims that objects have been eliminated for causes apart from adherence to plain mortgage agreements or museum practices are false.”
Article continues under this advert
In response to the president’s proposed 2026 funds, the NMAL reaffirmed its dedication to “inform the total breadth of the American story together with that of Latino historical past and tradition,” continuing with plans for its future museum. It has raised roughly $70 million in personal funding with Congress additionally allocating funds for the challenge’s growth on this yr’s funds.
A lowrider automotive contained in the Smithsonian’s Nationwide Museum of American Historical past in Washington, D.C.
Now Congress should resolve whether or not or to not grant federal funding for the museum subsequent yr, that are important for the museum to proceed its operations. During Hispanic Heritage Month in late September, the NMAL opened its latest exhibit, “Corazón y vida – Lowrider Tradition,” exploring the artistry, historical past and cultural significance of lowrider automobiles in Mexican American communities.
Article continues under this advert
“We’ve got an everlasting dedication to scholarly excellence, rigorous analysis, and the correct, factual presentation of historical past,” Machado stated. “Recognizing the facility of the tales these objects inform and the legacies they symbolize, we’re dedicated to preserving and stewarding our collections.”
