President Trump Signs Executive Order on American History

Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle), courtesy Smithsonian

President Trump signed an executive order “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” on March 27 directing action at the Smithsonian Institution and public monuments, including Independence Hall, to reverse and remove public scholarship and activity related to race and gender in particular, characterized in the order as “divisive narratives” and “improper ideology.”

The Smithsonian Institution, founded in 1846, includes research centers, museums, libraries, and other educational facilities, including the National Zoo.

“Access to knowledge is a cornerstone of a healthy, informed society. Smithsonian scientists, historians, archivists, librarians, and museum professionals conduct leading scholarship and steward extraordinary collections in service of public engagement and education,” said ARL Executive Director Andrew K. Pace. “As in all great libraries and museums, these professionals help students and lifelong learners navigate sources of information, evaluate information for integrity, and provide a platform for exploring complex stories. These professionals and the millions of visitors to these public spaces should be free to teach and learn without political interference.”

For More Information

“Roundup: Statements/Responses to Executive Order on ‘Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History’,” infoDOCKET, March 28, 2025

“Smithsonian Institution: Background, Entities, and Leadership,” Congressional Research Service, July 26, 2024

 

About the Association of Research Libraries

The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of research libraries in Canada and the US whose vision is to create a trusted, equitable, and inclusive research and learning ecosystem and prepare library leaders to advance this work in strategic partnership with member libraries and other organizations worldwide. ARL’s mission is to empower and advocate for research libraries and archives to shape, influence, and implement institutional, national, and international policy. ARL develops the next generation of leaders and enables strategic cooperation among partner institutions to benefit scholarship and society. ARL is on the web at ARL.org.

The post President Trump Signs Executive Order on American History appeared first on Association of Research Libraries.