Black History Under Fire? Smithsonian Says Reports That It Removed Historic Civil Rights Artifacts From Museum Are False – Essence
Over the past few days, there’s been a lot of chatter — and a lot of outrage — over claims that the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History and the National Museum of African American History and Culture(NMAAHC) removed items from their historic “sit-in” exhibits tied to the Civil Rights Movement.
The situation took off after reports surfaced last week suggesting the Greensboro lunch counter — a major symbol of the 1960 sit-ins — had been removed. Social media lit up, with many accusing the museum of trying to erase Black history, especially in the wake of President Donald Trump’s recent “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” executive order. That order aims to remove what the administration calls “divisive, race-centered ideology” from federal properties — including museums.
Understandably, the news caused outrage. But now, the Smithsonian is pushing back, saying the reports are false. Here’s what happened.
How The Controversy Started
Last week, a report from Black Press USA suggested that the Greensboro lunch counter display — a centerpiece artifact from the Civil Rights Movement — would be removed from the National Museum of American History. That report quickly made waves as many expressed anger and concern, especially given today’s political climate, where Black history is often under attack.
Adding fuel to the fire, civil rights activist Rev. Amos Brown told NBC News Washington he was recently notified that two artifacts he had loaned to the museum would be returned to him — even though he hadn’t asked for them back. To some, it felt like a troubling signal that key pieces of Black history might be getting quietly shuffled out of the spotlight.
Brown described one of the artifacts — a book written by Rev. George Washington Williams in 1880 — as a “precious and most historic book” and “the first history of the Negro race.” The other item was a Bible he carried during demonstrations with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesse Jackson.
Brown said he had loaned the artifacts to the Smithsonian in 2016. In the past, the museum gave him the option to donate the items permanently or renew the loan — but this time, he said, there was no option given.
“It is downright dishonest and it is demeaning,” Brown said. “I hope people of good will, of conscience and common sense will rise up and say, ‘We need to stop this.’”
What The Smithsonian Says
The Smithsonian responded on Monday morning, saying flatly: the Greensboro lunch counter — where four Black college students staged a pivotal protest during the Civil Rights Movement nor a stool from has not been removed.
They also emphasized the significance of the exhibit: the 1960 sit-in by the four students at a “whites only” lunch counter helped ignite a youth-led movement to challenge segregation across the South, ultimately leading to the desegregation of lunch counters.
“Recent reports about the Smithsonian removing the historic Greensboro, North Carolina, lunch counter and a stool from the National Museum of American History and National Museum of African American History and Culture, respectively, are inaccurate,” the museum said in an online statement.
“Both the Greensboro lunch counter and stools where college students sat in protest during the Civil Rights Movement are and continue to be on display,” the statement continued. “A stool from the sit-ins remains on view at the National Museum of African American History and Culture as the centerpiece of an interactive exhibition.
The larger section of the Greensboro counter also remains on display at the National Museum of American History. Suggestions that the Smithsonian had planned or intended to remove these items are false.”
As for the returned artifacts, the Smithsonian confirmed that two objects belonging to a civil rights leader were recently sent back — but stressed that it had nothing to do with the sit-in exhibit. Loan agreements, they said, are routinely revisited and sometimes artifacts are returned when loan periods expire or for conservation reasons.
Why People Are Still Concerned
Even with the Smithsonian’s clarification, the controversy struck a nerve. In a time when debates over teaching Black history are raging across the country, even the perception that major institutions could be quietly backing away from civil rights history feels alarming. Some critics argue that museums should be even more proactive in communicating when and why artifacts move — to avoid misunderstandings that can quickly spiral into public distrust.
The Bottom Line
Despite viral claims, the iconic Greensboro sit-in counter remains proudly displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. However, the controversy is a reminder of how deeply people care about protecting the truth of Black history — and how fragile trust can be when it comes to safeguarding that history for future generations.
