How the Smithsonian became the latest front in Trump’s culture war
The Smithsonian has faced withering pressure from the Trump administration.
The Smithsonian has faced withering pressure from the Trump administration.
The short version
- In November 2021, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History opened an exhibit called “The Electric Dr.
- Franklin,” describing “Benjamin Franklin’s pioneering contributions to electrical science.” The exhibit explained that, prior to becoming an abolitionist, he had enslaved people in his household.
- “Benjamin Franklin’s remarkable scientific accomplishments were, in part, enabled by slavery,” it declared.
What happened
The exhibit speculated that Franklin may have used enslaved people in his electrical research. “Franklin wrote about experiments in which he took shocks and used family and friends in these ways, although he seldom identified who in particular assisted him,” stated the exhibit, which closed in 2025 but can still be found online .
Why it matters
Now, in the year that was supposed to be a crowning celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, the Smithsonian is instead in Trump’s crosshairs.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.