Lonnie Bunch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lonnie Bunch
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Bunch in 2023
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| 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution | |
| Assumed office June 16, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | David J. Skorton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 18, 1952 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Education | Howard University American University (BA, MA, PhD) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | |
Lonnie G. Bunch III (born November 18, 1952) is an American educator and historian. He is known for his amazing work with museums.
Mr. Bunch is currently the 14th leader, or Secretary, of the Smithsonian Institution. This is a huge group of museums and research centers in the United States. He is the first African American and the first historian to hold this important job. Most of his career has been spent as a curator (someone who manages museum collections) and a leader in history museums.
Before becoming Secretary, Lonnie Bunch was the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). He led this museum from 2005 to 2019, helping to create it from the ground up. He also led the Chicago History Museum from 2000 to 2005. In the 1980s, he was the first curator at the California African American Museum. Later, he worked at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.
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Early Life and Education
Lonnie Bunch was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1952. His parents were both public school teachers. His father taught science and chemistry, and his mother taught third grade. They both went to Shaw University, which is one of the oldest historically black colleges in the South.
He grew up in Belleville, where his family was the only African American family in their neighborhood. His grandfather, who used to be a sharecropper, became one of the first Black dentists in the area. As a child, Lonnie experienced racism from other teenagers.
Mr. Bunch says his childhood experiences and reading biographies inspired him to study history. He wanted to tell the stories of people who were "anonymous" or not often written about. He remembers finding a book about Black soldiers in First World War in his grandfather's trunk. This made him want to learn more about Black history.
He graduated from Belleville High School in 1970. He then attended Howard University and later American University in Washington, D.C.. At American University, he earned his bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. degrees in American and African-American history.
A Career in Museums
Lonnie Bunch started working at the Smithsonian Institution while he was still studying for his master's degree. After finishing school, he became a history professor at the University of Maryland.
In 1983, he became the first curator at the California African American Museum. From 1989 to 1994, he worked as a curator at the National Museum of American History. He also taught at The George Washington University.
From 2001 to 2005, he was the president of the Chicago History Museum. He helped the museum connect with many different communities. One popular exhibit he helped create was Teen Chicago, which focused on the lives of teenagers.
Leading the African American History Museum
In 2005, Lonnie Bunch was chosen to be the director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture. This was a huge project because the museum didn't exist yet! As the founding director, he planned traveling exhibits and public events even before the museum building was finished. This helped people learn about the museum before it opened.
He also served on a special group that helped preserve the White House under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
On May 28, 2019, Lonnie Bunch was elected to lead the entire Smithsonian Institution. He became the first historian and the first African American to be the Secretary of the Smithsonian in its 173-year history. He started this important new job on June 16, 2019.
Museum Exhibits and Research
Mr. Bunch helped create a special exhibit at the National Museum of American History called The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden. This exhibit was put together very quickly, in just eight months.
Personal Life
Lonnie Bunch met his wife, Maria Marable, when they were in graduate school. They have two daughters.
Awards and Honors
Lonnie Bunch has received many awards for his work, including:
- 2011: Jackie Robinson Society Community Recognition Award
- 2017: Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- 2017: The NAACP's President's Award
- 2018: Phi Beta Kappa Award for Distinguished Service to Humanity
- 2019: Honorary degree from Brown University
- 2020: Dan David Prize
- 2022: Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement
- 2023: Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Yale University
