Kevin Young, director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., has been on personal leave since March 14 and will remain out indefinitely, according to a museum spokesperson cited by The Washington Post. The announcement was reportedly made internally and marks Young’s first extended absence since he assumed the role in 2021.
The museum is currently being led by Shanita Brackett, associate director of operations.
Young’s leave began before President Donald Trump issued an executive order on March 27 targeting the Smithsonian Institution, which oversees the museum. The order criticized what Trump called “anti-American ideology” in Smithsonian exhibitions, specifically citing a show on race and monuments at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and texts from the NMAAHC referencing “hard work” and “individualism” as elements of “White culture.”
In a separate order, Trump also proposed potential cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities. Since the orders were issued, several cultural institutions in Washington, D.C. have undergone changes. The Smithsonian and National Gallery of Art have reportedly disbanded their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) departments, while the National Endowment for the Arts shuttered a small grant program serving underfunded communities.
No reason has been publicly given for Young’s leave, and it is unclear whether it is connected to the recent executive orders.
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