Head of DC's African American museum on leave as Trump targets Smithsonian

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Source: The Guardian

Wed 2 Apr 2025 13.01 EDT
Last modified on Wed 2 Apr 2025 13.10 EDT


Kevin Young, the director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington DC, is not currently in charge of the museum and has been on leave since 14 March, as Donald Trump targets the Smithsonian museum network for its content.

The Washington Post first reported that Young has been on a personal leave for an “undetermined period”, according to an email obtained by the newspaper from Kevin Gover, the Smithsonian under secretary for museums and culture. Shanita Brackett, NMAAHC’s associate director of operations, is now serving as interim director. The Post’s report is the first time that news of Young’s leave has been made public, though there is no apparent connection between his absence and the president’s executive order. The NMAAHC did not reply to a request for comment about Young’s leave.

Besides NMAAHC, several other museums under the Smithsonian network have undergone leadership changes in recent years. Stephanie Stebich, the director of the American Art Museum, was removed last year after ongoing staff complaints, the Post reported. Elizabeth C Babcock was only recently appointed as the director of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum in May.

Young, an acclaimed poet and essayist, has been director of the NMAAHC since 2021. Prior to his appointment, he served as the director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library. Young’s leave came two weeks before Trump issued an executive order calling for the elimination of what he described as “improper, divisive or anti-American ideology” within the Smithsonian.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/02/kevin-young-african-american-museum-trump-smithsonian