Dear Chief Justice Roberts:

I write to express my strong opposition to President Trump’s Proclamation (the “Proclamation”), issued on March 27, which preposterously purports to restore “truth and sanity to American history” by censoring “improper ideology” at the Smithsonian Institution. It is imperative that you, along with your fellow Regents, continue the storied legacy of the Smithsonian that tells the American story honestly and completely. President Trump’s proclamation, which seeks to whitewash our history, is cowardly and unpatriotic. It must fail.

The Smithsonian attracts tens of millions of visitors a year and works with the finest subject matter experts in virtually every field. The fact that the Proclamation prominently singles out the National Museum of African American History and Culture speaks volumes about Donald Trump’s actual motivation. To be clear: Black history is American history. It cannot and will not be erased.

History is replete with dangerous efforts to manipulate cultural and historical narratives in order to consolidate power, including during twentieth-century regimes like those in the Soviet Union and 1930s Germany. That is not America. I strongly urge you to reject the Proclamation targeting the Smithsonian and to uphold the 175-year tradition that has made the Institution the preeminent museum, educational and cultural system in the world.

Sincerely,

Hakeem Jeffries
Democratic Leader