As the 100th anniversary of Black History Month comes to a close, Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley introduced a resolution honoring and protecting Black history museums and other cultural institutions for their efforts to tell accurate stories, while the current White House administration tries to erase them.
With the support of 52 congressional colleagues, including Reps. Wesley Bell, Yvette Clarke, Eric Swalwell, Bennie G. Thompson, and Bonnie Watson Coleman, the resolution recognizes Black history museums and cultural institutions as being “essential to fulfilling the United States’ founding promises and telling the full, accurate history of our nation,” a press release states.
The goal is to protect institutions such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture from erasure, whitewashing, and funding cuts. “Without Black history, America has none—and this resolution honors and defends the museums that keep our shared history alive.
As this wannabe dictator attempts to censor our history, ignore systemic impressions of marginalized people, and attack our intellectual freedoms, it is imperative that we protect the institutions that commemorate the contributions, brilliance, and hardships of our Black ancestors,” Pressley said.
“We refuse to yield to their revisionist narratives and a whitewashing of structural racism. Instead, we support and defend the institutions that do the essential truth-telling of our stories of resilience and radical joy.”
On X, the congresswoman said, “We refuse to yield to whitewashing of our Black ancestors’ labor & joy.” The resolution calls on federal agencies such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Park Service to support Black museums and other cultural institutions through their funding and partnership programs.
As the country prepares to celebrate 250 years, Pressley’s resolution also calls for the celebration to include participation in events at Black history museums and institutions, honoring both the struggles and joy that helped create the blueprint of American freedom and democracy.
Several institutions have already endorsed the endeavor, including Dr. Noelle Trent, president & CEO of the Museum of African American History in Massachusetts, the oldest African American history museum in New England. In a statement, she said, “our country’s 250th anniversary is about more than the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776,” but reflecting on “the rich roles all people have played in the creation of our great nation.”The initiative has been a passion of Pressley since President Donald Trump called for an audit of museums across the nation, signing an executive order in March 2025 directing the Smithsonian and the National Park Service to remove “divisive narratives” and “ideological indoctrination.”
According to The Bay State Banner, Pressley called for an investigation into the order, labeling it as pushback on attempts to present opinions as facts. “Donald Trump and anyone else are entitled to their own opinions, but they’re not entitled to their own facts,” she said.
“It is important that we have an accurate telling of history.”