Boston, Massachusetts — On April 9, 2025, Massachusetts’ Museum of African American History received shocking news that a crucial three-year federal grant was terminated, stirring concerns about the future of its operations. The grant, which was supposed to streamline additional staffing and resources, was abruptly cancelled after President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting the Smithsonian Institutions, including the museum.
Noelle Trent, president of the state’s Museum of African American History, expressed her worries that Trump’s directive undermines organizations dedicated to highlighting racial injustices and history. ‘There is concern around the highest office in the land saying, “Perhaps this is not important or significant.” How would that affect not just our audience, but our ability to continue to do our work?’ she told GBH News.
The museum, a private nonprofit operating on an annual budget of approximately $3 million, had recently secured a $500,000 grant aimed at supporting additional staffing over the next three years. However, Trent received notice that the grant was terminated effective April 8, stating, ‘upon further review, your ILMS grant is no longer consistent with the agency’s priorities and no longer serves in the interest of the United States and the furtherance of the President’s policies.’
While the museum had already drawn the first year’s installment, Trent now faces the challenge of re-evaluating the budget for the next two years. ‘We remain undeterred and we will continue pursuing funding,’ she said confidently.
Trent highlighted the implications of Trump’s executive order, suggesting it poses a direct threat not only to her organization but also to hundreds of similar institutions nationwide. ‘What is being asked is to minimize and de-prioritize African American history. If we do nothing about that, then who is the next group of people who gets to be potentially erased?’ she asked.
Visitors like Felicia McKnight from Texas also underscored the importance of museums in sharing African American history. ‘I absolutely love the National Museum of African American History in D.C. It’s rich in the overall scope of African American history, but local museums tell the African American history regionally,’ she said. McKnight noted that local museums are essential in preserving culture, stating, ‘It’s important because the history is preserved by the particular museums, the curators, and individuals who studied it.’
Trent emphasized the role of community support during these challenging times, urging individuals to invest in their local museums. ‘I’ve been encouraging people, if you care about the Museum of African American History or your local museum, that you go and you support it,’ she said. ‘Let history be one’s guide.’ She further noted, ‘The Museum of African American History exists today because individuals in the 19th century took their very little disposable time and money to invest in the fight for freedom for a future they could not see.’
