Understanding America: Conversations With Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 10 Years of Excellence

Join Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III for a special edition of Understanding America, moderated by award-winning journalist Laura Coates, commemorating the 10 th anniversary of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. As the museum marks a decade of expanding how millions of visitors engage with the American story, and as the nation commemorates the 250 th anniversary of the United States, this timely conversation will reflect on the role museums play in helping us examine the past, consider multiple perspectives, and deepen our understanding of the people, ideas, and experiences that continue to shape America. Laura Coates will moderate a conversation featuring Secretary Bunch and a special guest as they reflect on the museum's extraordinary first decade, the enduring importance of African American history to the nation's story, and the opportunities presented by America's 250 th anniversary. Together, they will explore how understanding our shared past can help shape our shared future. This program is presented as part of the National Museum of African American History and Culture's 10 th Anniversary Celebration and the Smithsonian's Our Shared Future: 250 initiative. Lonnie G. Bunch, III Lonnie G. Bunch III is the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian. He assumed his position June 16, 2019. As Secretary, he oversees 21 museums, 21 libraries, the National Zoo, numerous research centers, and several education units and centers. Two new museums-the National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum-are in development. Bunch was the founding director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. Bunch chronicled the creation of the museum in his book , A Fool's Errand: Building the National Museum of African American History and Culture in the Age of Bush, Obama and Trump , and is the first historian to be Secretary of the Institution. Since 2024, Bunch has been Honorary Professor of Practice at Queen's University Belfast. In 2018, Bunch was inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. In 2021, he received France's highest award, the Legion of Honor. Laura Coates Laura Coates is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, attorney, bestselling author, and anchor of Laura Coates Live on CNN. Recognized for her thoughtful reporting and engaging interviews, Coates brings a unique perspective to conversations about law, history, politics, and American society. Copies of A Fool's Errand: Creating the National Museum of African American History and Culture in the Age of Bush, Obama, and Trump by Lonnie G. Bunch III will be available for purchase before and after the program, courtesy of Smithsonian Enterprises.