The Smithsonian Board of Regents has elected Lonnie G. Bunch III as the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, effective June 16.
Lonnie has been the director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).
We are thrilled to announce that our Board of Regents has elected Lonnie G. Bunch III as the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, effective June 16. The founding director of our NMAAHC, Bunch brings a reputation for compelling scholarship and visionary leadership.
Under Bunch’s leadership, the National Museum of African American History and Culture came to life. When he started as director in July 2005, he had one staff member, no collections, no funding and no site for a museum. Driven by optimism, determination and a commitment to build “a place that would make America better,” Bunch transformed a vision into a bold reality. The museum has welcomed about 4 million visitors and compiled a collection of 40,000 objects. It is the first “green building” on the National Mall. He rallied donors of every level and worked with Congress to fund the museum through a public-private collaboration.
– The Smithsonian Institution
Courtesy – Smithsonian
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