Though it has been in place for a year, the large, colorful sign on the north side of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History and Culture jumped out at me only recently: “Protecting Black History,” it says in bold black letters against red, yellow and white backgrou nds on the rear of the museum at Pratt and President streets. “Protecting” is the key word. Indeed, with Donald Trump in the White House, American history — and especially Black history — needs protecting from his administration’s sprawling attempt to erase much of it, mostly the hard truths. Trump’s executive order 14253 of March 2025 called for the removal of many references to slavery in exhibits at national parks and museums. References to Native Americans, to women’s rights, to immigrants and to LGBTQ+ history were also deemed inappropriate.  The Center for American Progress conducted a review of censorship under Trump’s executive order and reported what it found just this week: The administration “is attempting to rewrite American history by censoring the stories of marginalized groups. … Nearly half of all national parks — 82 of the 171 — were flagged for Black history content, making it the most heavily targeted category, followed by Indigenous history (74), science content (55), women’s history (20), labor (10), immigrant history (11), and LGBTQ+ history (3).” Trump’s executive order, entitled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” claimed that objective facts had been replaced by “a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth.” It asserted that a revisionist movement had portrayed American history as “inherently racist, sexist, oppressive or otherwise irredeemably flawed.” The executive order said facts about slavery and the treatment of indigenous people would be removed because they “foster a sense of national shame, disregarding the progress America has made and the ideals that continue to inspire millions around the globe.” The Lewis Museum in Baltimore, established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1998 and partially funded by the state, is not a federal institution. Therefore, it was not subjected to Trump’s executive order. Nevertheless, the sign on the museum’s north-facing wall made its position clear. The north side of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History and Culture Credit: Rodricks “In addition to our mission to interpret, collect and preserve history, we now must protect it,” said the Lewis’ president, Terri Lee Freeman, when I inquired about the sign. “The stories of Black Marylanders are precious assets that must be safeguarded and stewarded against those who, at best, want to discount those stories and, at worst, rewrite history.  “The very beginning of Black history in this country is based on the original sin of America — slavery. It cannot be denied. And the narrative around slavery is brutal and tragic. The very idea that any human would own another is anathema to the human rights we, as a nation, say we cherish.”  But Trump has a different view of it. Last August, he ordered a review of 21 Smithsonian museums, claiming their exhibits were “woke” and too focused on “how bad slavery was.” Big changes were needed, he declared, in time for the nation’s 250th anniversary this Fourth of July. His executive order reflected Trump’s personal discomfort with the nation’s brutal early history:  “Museums in our Nation’s capital should be places where individuals go to learn — not to be subjected to ideological indoctrination or divisive narratives that distort our shared history.” He promised to “ensure that all public monuments, memorials, statues, markers or similar properties within the Department of the Interior’s jurisdiction do not contain descriptions, depictions or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living and instead focus on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people.” That was then, this is now.  Things have not been going the administration’s way on the censorship front.  In February, a federal judge ordered the Department of the Interior to restore an exhibit on people enslaved by George Washington at a site on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. The judge said the federal government does not have the power “to dissemble and disassemble historical truths.” Last month, another federal judge ordered the administration to restore all sites changed under the executive order and end further attempts “to rewrite the Nation’s history with a white-out pen.” Sitting in Boston, U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley said: “History cannot be faithfully told while excluding the experiences of communities whose contributions, struggles and achievements form an important part of our Nation’s story.” To appreciate that story — on the Fourth of July or any day — we must consider all of it, however uncomfortable or conflicted it makes us. Whole truth is better than half-truth. History is best left to historians, not to politicians, especially those who engage in prevarication every day. In an age of misinformation and lies, the role of historians and curators is hugely important. Says Terri Lee Freeman: “We are proud to tell the stories of triumphs and tragedies that make up the human narratives binding communities, neighborhoods and counties in the state of Maryland. Black people have been central to the Maryland story. The Lewis will continue to protect that history for generations to come.” Dan Rodricks writes his column weekly for Baltimore Fishbowl. He can be reached via danrodricks.com ...read more read less