NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
President Trump described Smithsonian museums as “out of control” for emphasizing, in his view, “how bad slavery was.” It's part of a pattern by Trump in his second term to reframe historical narratives, in particular about racism and discrimination. Amna Nawaz spoke with historian Peniel Joseph for our series, Art in Action, exploring the intersection of art and democracy and our CANVAS coverage.
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- What institution did President Trump describe as "out of control" and why?
- Who is Peniel Joseph, and what is his background?
- How does Joseph argue that the fight over history in museums is part of a struggle that goes back generations?
- What argument are people making to defend slavery, according to host Amna Nawaz?
- Why does Joseph compare this current moment to the McCarthy era?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- How do you think the exhibits in the Smithsonian should be chosen and displayed? Who should have a say?
- Do you think changing museum displays could or would have an impact on
Media Literacy: If you could create an exhibit that highlights a moment in U.S. history that you think people should know more about, what would it look like?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Read this article by NPR about President Trump's review of museums.
After reading, discuss with a partner your thoughts and answer the questions below.
- How many institutions has President Trump said he wants to review?
- What does President Trump believe the museums are focussing on too much?
- Why is The Smithsonian the first museum to receive this inspection?
- What other institutions is President Trump reviewing?
- As a class, discuss your answers to the media literacy question — what moment or event in history do you think should be highlighted in a museum? Are you aware of local history that you think the national public should know about? If there is time, sketch out what your exhibit would look like.
Written by Payton Alfieri, PBS News Hour Classroom's intern, and News Hour's Luke Gerwe.
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