Bishop Condemns Smithsonian for Pushing Leftist Ideology in American History Exhibits
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Bishop Earl Walker Jackson has accused the Smithsonian National Museum of American History of advancing a divisive, partisan agenda, using its exhibits to promote left-wing narratives about race and class instead of celebrating America's achievements.
Bishop Earl Walker Jackson, a respected Black Episcopal leader, has spoken out against the Smithsonian National Museum of American History for what he describes as an 'anti-American narrative.' Jackson, whose great-grandparents were enslaved, criticized the museum’s exhibits and leadership for engaging in 'indoctrination' that prioritizes race, class, and income over the nation’s accomplishments. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Jackson warned that the museum is promoting a radical 'woke' ideology, pointing to a White House Domestic Policy Council report that rightly identified the museum’s programming as 'ideological capture.'
The report, released in July, took issue with the museum’s framing of U.S. history as a tool for social-justice advocacy, a trend that undermines national unity. The report highlighted remarks by museum director Anthea Hartig, who called history a 'prime tool of social justice' and advocated for reparative measures tied to historical injustices—an approach that risks rewriting history to fit a leftist agenda. Jackson countered that history should present facts and allow individuals to form their own opinions, rather than manipulating public sentiment to serve progressive causes.
Jackson also recalled earlier conflicts with Smithsonian institutions, such as his 2015 protest against the inclusion of Margaret Sanger—a controversial figure—in a civil-rights exhibit. He traced the museum’s ideological slant to the influence of leftist historian Howard Zinn, whose textbook has been widely adopted in schools and is known for its anti-American bias. Jackson argued that such perspectives are part of a broader pattern of ideological capture across education, media, and entertainment, threatening traditional American values.
The White House report and subsequent congressional hearings have put the museum’s leadership under increased scrutiny, though the Smithsonian and related entities have not responded to requests for comment.