April 19, 2025 • 27 mins
Our guest is Dr. Camilla Westenberg. Dr. Westenberg has been a decades-long advocate for equity for both women and marginalized communities. She is a Charter member of the NMAAHC. Additionally, she currently serves as the VP for Political Action of the Maricopa County Branch of the NAACP, she is a distinguished leader in the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Phoenix Chapter. Additionally, she is a Life Member of the National Council of Negro Women.
In the first half of the show, discuss the importance of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. We also discuss the attacks on the museum by the current administration. Finally, we discuss ways to support the museum as well as their path forward.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Broadcasting from the Hip Hop Weekly Studios. I'd like to
welcome you to another episode of Civic Cipher, where our
mission is to foster allyship, empathy and understanding. I am
your host, Ramsey's job.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
He is Ramsay's jaw. I am q Ward. You are
tuned into Civic Cipher.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
That you are, and we want you to stick around
today because we need to bring your attention to a
cause that is very important, mission critical around here, and
we have one individual in the studio who is going
to help us do that. She goes by the name
of doctor Camilla Westernberg. For those who don't know, she
(00:35):
has been a decades long advocate for equity, both for
women and marginalized communities. She is a charter member of
the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which
we will be discussing today. Additionally, she's currently serving as
the VP for Political Action for the Maricopa County Branch
as of the NAACP. She is the Distinguished Leader in
the Alpa Kappa Alpha Sorority Phoenix Chapter. She's a member
(00:57):
of the Phoenix Chapter of the Links. She's also a
member of the Top Ladies of Distinction Beatings Chapter and
currently holds the position of historian. Additionally, she is a
lifetime member of the National Council of Negro Women, and
she is also a frequent contributor on this show, and
she is our teacher. So welcome back to the show.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Thank you, thank you. It's always a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
And again we want you to stick around because we're
going to be discussing the National Museum of African American
History and Culture and the attacks on our nation's institutions
and on black people's institutions, and we are going to
shed some light on the concerted effort to erase, whitewash,
(01:45):
or rewrite history. We're also going to spend some time
talking about Harvard and they're pushback and hopefully discussing some
lessons we can all learn from them. But before we
get there, it is time for us to discuss some
ebony excellence.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Shall we?
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Yes, I think we shall. And today's abny excellence comes
from the Grillo and I want to shout out Chicago
Mayor Brandon Johnson, who made clear on Thursday that he
doesn't intend to play nights with President Donald Trump to
avert a potential withholding of more than three billion dollars quote,
trying to force your will to break the spirit of
working people in order to have a conversation. That's terrorism.
(02:24):
We're not going to negotiate with terrorists, said Johnson during
a press conference. Reports to Chicago Tribune, President Trump, determined
to execute his agenda of mass deportations throughout the country,
has repeatedly threatened to withhold federal funding from states and
cities that refuse to cooperate with his administration. Trump has
particularly had his eyesight on sanctuary cities that provide a
safe haven for undocumented people living in the United States. Chicago,
(02:47):
the nation's third largest city, could lose all three point
five billion dollars of its federal funding if Trump follows
through on a threat that includes one point five billion
dollars which the administration is also threatening to withhold if
the city's school districts do not comply with Trump's order
to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion policies. When asked to
(03:07):
clarify whether he was calling Trump a terrorist after making
his Tuesday remarks, Mayor Johnson said, no, what I'm saying
is trying to hold people hostage and manipulating them to
succumb to his will and then hold up our tax dollars.
That is how terrorists behave. He added, these aren't threats anymore, right,
these are real adversarial attacks against working people. Johnson also
(03:31):
referenced the role of race telling reporters, quote, there is
a long history of black political leaders talking to people
who may not see us as first class. However, he
made clear that he will not be kissing the ring
of President Trump quote outside of a twenty sixteen you know,
Cubs World Series ring. I'm not kissing a ring.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
The President of the United States of America has an
open invitation to the fifth floor of the greatest freaking
city in the world, the city of Chicago. So that
is backbone, that is pushed back. That is what we love.
That is ebony excellence. All right. Now discussing Donald Trump's
attacks on the National Museum of African American History, now,
(04:14):
I want to start by saying, doctor Westernberg, the first
I heard of this museum was from you, uh, you know,
we're on the east coast. We did at the time,
especially we didn't get to the to the or sorry,
we're on the west coast at the time. We didn't
get to the east coast very often. But you've always
been a person that has been more active until such
(04:36):
a time as we came of age and we're able
to also, you know, follow in your footsteps. Ultimately we
were able to go there, but you were one of
the people who helped, you know, support the origin story
of the museum.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Is that correct.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
As it relates to me the origin is concerned. There
was a massive effort that went out to garner support
from the community to support an African American museum, and
I was acutely aware of other museums on the mall,
(05:20):
and I knew what an integral part we had played
in this country.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
That's where I was going next.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Go ahead, It would make sense with the minuscule amount
of money. I mean, you know, when you look at
the roster of those and I'm sure they have it
online somewhere where you can can scroll down and you know,
pages and pages you will see my name, one of
my sorority sisters that I discussed it should we do this?
(05:51):
Should we? Is this a time for us to just
you know, kick in and say, yeah, we're going to
support this project? And I did why because I know
the significance of documenting our history. I know that if
we don't tell our history ourselves, it will not be told.
(06:16):
And we're looking at that today with individuals and a
segment of society that is trying to eradicate what took place.
And I was acutely aware of all of the richness
of our of our heritage. I taught African American literature.
(06:43):
I love hip hop. We go to hold that literature
from one end to the other, Okay, from the port
to the rapper. I love music from the spirituals of
the songs that were sung by slaves when they were
in the fields onto today and in between. I'm seventy
(07:06):
seven years old, Okay, So I was in the sixties,
you know, with the poor tops and the temptations and
all of that was going on. And then of course
you have the blues, and then you have your spirituals,
and you have your jazz. I mean, all of the
genre there, each worthy in its own way of contributing
(07:28):
to the esthetic of the world, and each in its
own way valuable. And so I knew that it was
necessary to take that history of us coming from Africa
to hear and if you look a look at that
of the architecture of that museum looks like a ship.
(07:52):
It looks like a ship. So you see that journey
coming over, and it needed to be documented. The legacy
needed to be documented for our young people, for others
to know the richness of our culture in every conceivable way.
And that's what that view, zum. But it came it
(08:16):
too fruition did.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
May I second that because as it's interesting because you know,
when you get to be, you know, forty two years old,
you kind of start feeling like you've lived a handful
of lifetimes. You have your own little, little little stories,
you know, these these evolutions of yourself. And once upon
(08:41):
a time I was a student in your African American
literature class. I was a teenager. You found me on
the campus and said, young man, I would like for
you to enroll in my class. And I did. And
I remember you saying the same thing to the classroom
that we need to be responsible for documenting and teaching
(09:02):
our history because and there were a few reasons, but
a couple that stand out in my mind, we are
the best position to do so. And the other is
that history has shown us time and again that there
is often a concerted effort to bury our accomplishments or
(09:23):
to otherwise rewrite the story surrounding the narratives that relate
to us, And so I just wanted to jump in
and second that now I do want to get to
the current attacks on the museum, but for folks that
may not have visited, from folks who may not even
be aware that it exists, it's important to establish what
(09:47):
it is and why it's important. So I appreciate that.
Now let's shift gears here. I'm going to share a
bit from the Associated Press. President Donald Trump's order accusing
the Smithsonian Institution of not reflecting American history notes correctly
that the country's founding fathers declared that all men are
(10:08):
created equal, but it doesn't mention that the founders in
shrine slavery into the US Constitution and declared enslaved persons
as three fifths of a person for the purpose of
the census. Civil rights advocates, historians, and black political leaders
sharply rebuked Trump for his order entitled Restoring Truth Insanity
to American History. They argued that his executive order targeting
(10:30):
the Smithsonian Institution is his administration's latest move to downplay
how racism and Black Americans themselves have shaped the nation's story.
Trump's executive order cites the National Museum of African American
History and Culture by name and argues that the Smithsonian
as a whole is engaging in a concerted and widespread
(10:50):
effort to rewrite our nation's history. In other words, Donald
Trump specifically is attacking the branch of the Smithsonian related
to black history and women's history, by the way, and
I think that they put an injunction into Latino History
because that was a forthcoming museum as well, and they're
saying that, indeed, that museum that is telling the full
(11:13):
story is somehow rewriting the nation's history. Right, So they're
co opting the defense that we would have and trying
to use it on their own.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
So don't be fool.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
That's our job to kind of point this out, all
right now, I'll continue. Instead of celebrating a quote unparalleled
legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights, and human happiness, the
order argues that a corrosive, divisive, race centered ideology has
(11:47):
reconstructed the nation as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise
irredeemably flawed. So this is what they think or this
is what they want us to think. They think because
they know that can't be true. Trump also ordered Interior
Secretary Doug Bergham to determine if any monuments since January
twenty twenty have been removed or changed to perpetuate a
(12:10):
false reconstruction of American history or inappropriately minimize the value
of certain historical events or figures. Trump has long criticized
the removal of Confederate monuments, a movement that gains steam
after the May twenty twenty murder of George Floyd, and
empowers Vice President JD. Vance to review all properties, programs,
and presentations to prohibit programs that degrade shared American values
(12:34):
or divide Americans based on race. Okay, I'm gonna shift.
Here's one more time here because we need to also
say this part. This is from art net, and they
have a much longer, well fleshed out piece on this,
but I've just pulled a piece from it art Net.
So this is about where the museum is. Vance sits
(12:57):
on the Smithsonian seventeen person Board of Regions, alongside Supreme
Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts and six members of Congress,
three from each of the from three from the Senate,
three from the House. There are also nine citizen board members,
who each serve six year terms limited to two terms.
Trump's executive order instructs Advance to recruit new citizen members
(13:19):
who are committed to advancing the policy of this order.
Even without attempting to cut terms short, vans will have
at least six opportunities to appoint new board members next year.
So I want to at a piece here. It's not
one hundred percent clear that JD. Vance has the power
to do that. In other words, at present, Trump can
(13:44):
withhold federal funds to the museum, okay, so that he
can do everything else is still being decided. I'll continue.
About sixty two percent of the Smithsonian's annual budget is
federally funded. That includes its congressional appropriation, federal grants and contracts,
totally about one billion dollars for the twenty twenty four
fiscal year. But the Smithsonian is also heavily dependent on fundraising.
(14:07):
The institution announced its largest ever fundraising effort, called the
Campaign for Our Shared Future, in September, looking to raise
two point five billion dollars ahead of the two hundred
and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the US in
twenty twenty six. So all hope is not lost. But
(14:28):
it is important for people around this country to know
that certain institutions are under attack by folks who are
temporary no matter what. These people are all temporary, no
matter how old. Donald Trump or Donald Trump is not infinite.
Even if he runs as many terms as he says
he wants to run, he doesn't last forever. But black
(14:50):
people do. Okay, our institutions are under attack right now
by a government that feels that these institutions have no
value or are otherwise eroding society. And there's a strong
(15:11):
argument on this side of the table that suggests that
these institutions allow us to reckon with our past so
that we can more clearly define who we want to
be in relation to our past. Okay, now, I appreciate
what you have said motivated you to be one of
(15:34):
the charter members of the National Museum of African American
History and Culture and why it was important. But Q,
I want you to tell a story about your visit
to the National Museum of African American History. I was
there to be fair, but I want to hear you
(15:55):
say it because I think there's another why. For those
that may not want to support this museum or may
not know to support it, there's a why right here.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
So these stories become more difficult to tell as the
days pass, because they require for us to try to
maintain some sense of normalcy with the world, country, and
society that we now live in, and listening to the
story from the associated press. Once upon a time, the
(16:28):
three of us could have laughed at a story like that.
The language and the rhetoric is so ridiculous that we
could have laughed at it, and it would have been
something for the tabloids that people who are now running
the country once upon a time were just celebrities, and
we could have told that story or read that story
(16:49):
and moved on to something more pressing. Except now these
people hold the highest positions of power in our country,
and we have to pretend that everything's going to be okay.
Like the idea that this museum could go away or
not be funded, or be seen as not important or
(17:10):
divisive or somehow rewriting the actual history of our country
should be a laughable and embarrassing thing to say, except
we know that these things that they say are no
longer threats as they enact them on everyday Americans, every day.
But walking through the hallways of that beautiful museum and
(17:32):
being immersed in our history, reading and looking at our stories,
there was a moment. We could have spent several days
there and probably still not taken in everything that was
available for us, But there's a moment where you think
about all of the stories and all of our history
(17:54):
that happened before we were even born, Ramses, and how
those stories and those figures and those people are forever
enshrined in our minds. They are timeless. We saw Emmitt
Till's casket, and you hear Emmitt Till's name as a
figure that existed before us, and I think our minds
(18:17):
forget that Emmitt Till was a child. And it is
a shocking, sobering moment to walk into the part that
looks like his viewing may have looked back then, and
seeing how small that casket is, and as you take
in the nation's history, all the pain and all the
triumph because you see Emmitt Till, but you also see
(18:39):
Barack Obama, and you try to reconcile all that it means.
As we walked up a spiral staircase or a ramp
that you know, moved back and forth up from the
belly of the museum back up to the main floors.
We heard some young ladies singing a familiar song, and
(19:02):
we joined, and as we join, so did other strangers.
Until you realize we have formed, random, in real time,
a choir singing, lift every voice and sing in unison
and in harmony with people who we never met before.
(19:26):
And I remember being so moved by that very, very
communal and powerful moment. And of course there are people
in that museum that aren't black who got to witness
that moment as well, and I'd imagine they thought that
was on the program. They may have done part of
the presentation for the day. But we finished singing that
(19:46):
song and we clapped, and then we went back to
our respective journeys in the museum. But we all knew,
without rehearsal, without instruction, that that moment was for all
of us. And that's what that building represents, our stories
and our history, for all of us to share.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
I want to I want to add to that, because
you know, we were there together. You know, we we
have a relationship with the museum with a few museums,
you know, the National Civil Rights Museum in Tennessee, with
of course the museum in question today at the National
Museum of African American History and Culture. These institutions are different.
(20:31):
There there is a source, a living source of the
truth on this planet, and you can go there and
get a reset. And and for us, you know, I
know that we do this show, and this show is
meant for allyship, but part of allyship is is teaching
people how to love you. That was something that I
(20:54):
think that we needed. But I'll speak for myself, Q.
That was something that I needed because museums. I've been
to hundreds of museum, well maybe not one hundreds, but
tons of museums throughout my life, and they're always very
quiet and you see people walking around and taking it in.
But in the National Museum of African American History and Culture,
they have etched into the wall, lift every voice and
(21:16):
sing a song that I learned because I took your class,
doctor Westernberg, thank you, and reading the lyrics onto the
wall turned into a song. There's a group that was
just reading the lyrics and then they started to sing along,
and then you hear another group singing and then I
(21:38):
hear this deep voice close to me singing and it's
cue and I'm like, I know that song, and then
I start singing in there and this quiet. Like you said,
these people are on their journey throughout this museum, and
there's the living element to it. There is the act
of learning, there is the act of connecting and the
(22:02):
neurons forming. And people that spoke with accents from different
parts of the world, people that looked nothing like us,
people that clearly we're not American, where they're witnessing a living,
breathing moment of solidarity of humanity, of humanity man. And
I mean, I've had to draw a lot of lines,
(22:26):
and I suspect I'll have to draw many more. But
this is a hard line for me. I know it's
a hard line for you, and I know it's a
hard line for you as well, Q that we cannot
lose our institutions and if possible, we are going to
ensure that folks can.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Support.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
You know, there is this movement. It's such a large movement,
and it's ovoholming because it's not only cultures, it's education
that is being eradicated to. Yes, we talk about and
(23:15):
so where do you learn about pest cultures other than
oftentimes within an educational setting, and where do you have
the opportunity It's it's in a way trying to prohibit
(23:38):
intellectual thought processes, and that's something that we are all given.
I'm going to throw something out too, but real fast.
You cited the different organizations with which I am affiliated. Yes,
but when I come to this show, I'm Camello Westingberg
as an individual, as an individual, Okay, because every organization
(24:01):
with which I am affiliated is none partisan, so I
have to make sure it's taken in that context. But
this business of trying to sanitize and eradicate every opportunity,
where do you get civics? Cipher? What is civics? But history?
(24:30):
We don't teach that any longer. That museum is history.
It is history. It is all woven together. It's a
thread threads that's going together, that's trying to erase all
(24:50):
of the others and everything that has happened in the
world other than a select population of people that will
give them power and money. And I'm going to throw
something else out there that I'm just very quickly that
in my mind in some ways is germane to it. Okay,
there was another museum there. There was a media museum,
(25:17):
a wonderful, wonderful medium museum on the mall. I loved it.
It showed radio, television, newspapers, and it just a history,
all accounts of it. Somewhere it disappeared somewhere. I don't
know why. It's just one year I was back, it
(25:39):
was gone. And I have lamented ever since because and
you all are in media. Yeah, that's where the stories
are told. That's where the truth, what is happening is
(26:01):
from context perspected. And I don't know what happened to
all of the artifacts in there. It was phenomenal. It
was phenomenal. I don't know it's finances, But to lose that,
I have been so saddened by it because it was
a treasure. It was a treasure because media gave the
(26:26):
whole advantage point of the world as to how media
in the United States has been presented telling the whole
story of this country. And that is what is happening
with the African American Museum.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Well, we're going to have some more information on ways
that people can support because again, at present, the only
attack that they're susceptible to is federal funds and unfortunately
we have some options, so stay tuned, ye
Broadcasting from the Hip Hop Weekly Studios. I'd like to
welcome you to another episode of Civic Cipher, where our
mission is to foster allyship, empathy and understanding. I am
your host, Ramsey's job.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
He is Ramsay's jaw. I am q Ward. You are
tuned into Civic Cipher.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
That you are, and we want you to stick around
today because we need to bring your attention to a
cause that is very important, mission critical around here, and
we have one individual in the studio who is going
to help us do that. She goes by the name
of doctor Camilla Westernberg. For those who don't know, she
(00:35):
has been a decades long advocate for equity, both for
women and marginalized communities. She is a charter member of
the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which
we will be discussing today. Additionally, she's currently serving as
the VP for Political Action for the Maricopa County Branch
as of the NAACP. She is the Distinguished Leader in
the Alpa Kappa Alpha Sorority Phoenix Chapter. She's a member
(00:57):
of the Phoenix Chapter of the Links. She's also a
member of the Top Ladies of Distinction Beatings Chapter and
currently holds the position of historian. Additionally, she is a
lifetime member of the National Council of Negro Women, and
she is also a frequent contributor on this show, and
she is our teacher. So welcome back to the show.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Thank you, thank you. It's always a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
And again we want you to stick around because we're
going to be discussing the National Museum of African American
History and Culture and the attacks on our nation's institutions
and on black people's institutions, and we are going to
shed some light on the concerted effort to erase, whitewash,
(01:45):
or rewrite history. We're also going to spend some time
talking about Harvard and they're pushback and hopefully discussing some
lessons we can all learn from them. But before we
get there, it is time for us to discuss some
ebony excellence.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Shall we?
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Yes, I think we shall. And today's abny excellence comes
from the Grillo and I want to shout out Chicago
Mayor Brandon Johnson, who made clear on Thursday that he
doesn't intend to play nights with President Donald Trump to
avert a potential withholding of more than three billion dollars quote,
trying to force your will to break the spirit of
working people in order to have a conversation. That's terrorism.
(02:24):
We're not going to negotiate with terrorists, said Johnson during
a press conference. Reports to Chicago Tribune, President Trump, determined
to execute his agenda of mass deportations throughout the country,
has repeatedly threatened to withhold federal funding from states and
cities that refuse to cooperate with his administration. Trump has
particularly had his eyesight on sanctuary cities that provide a
safe haven for undocumented people living in the United States. Chicago,
(02:47):
the nation's third largest city, could lose all three point
five billion dollars of its federal funding if Trump follows
through on a threat that includes one point five billion
dollars which the administration is also threatening to withhold if
the city's school districts do not comply with Trump's order
to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion policies. When asked to
(03:07):
clarify whether he was calling Trump a terrorist after making
his Tuesday remarks, Mayor Johnson said, no, what I'm saying
is trying to hold people hostage and manipulating them to
succumb to his will and then hold up our tax dollars.
That is how terrorists behave. He added, these aren't threats anymore, right,
these are real adversarial attacks against working people. Johnson also
(03:31):
referenced the role of race telling reporters, quote, there is
a long history of black political leaders talking to people
who may not see us as first class. However, he
made clear that he will not be kissing the ring
of President Trump quote outside of a twenty sixteen you know,
Cubs World Series ring. I'm not kissing a ring.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
The President of the United States of America has an
open invitation to the fifth floor of the greatest freaking
city in the world, the city of Chicago. So that
is backbone, that is pushed back. That is what we love.
That is ebony excellence. All right. Now discussing Donald Trump's
attacks on the National Museum of African American History, now,
(04:14):
I want to start by saying, doctor Westernberg, the first
I heard of this museum was from you, uh, you know,
we're on the east coast. We did at the time,
especially we didn't get to the to the or sorry,
we're on the west coast at the time. We didn't
get to the east coast very often. But you've always
been a person that has been more active until such
(04:36):
a time as we came of age and we're able
to also, you know, follow in your footsteps. Ultimately we
were able to go there, but you were one of
the people who helped, you know, support the origin story
of the museum.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Is that correct.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
As it relates to me the origin is concerned. There
was a massive effort that went out to garner support
from the community to support an African American museum, and
I was acutely aware of other museums on the mall,
(05:20):
and I knew what an integral part we had played
in this country.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
That's where I was going next.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Go ahead, It would make sense with the minuscule amount
of money. I mean, you know, when you look at
the roster of those and I'm sure they have it
online somewhere where you can can scroll down and you know,
pages and pages you will see my name, one of
my sorority sisters that I discussed it should we do this?
(05:51):
Should we? Is this a time for us to just
you know, kick in and say, yeah, we're going to
support this project? And I did why because I know
the significance of documenting our history. I know that if
we don't tell our history ourselves, it will not be told.
(06:16):
And we're looking at that today with individuals and a
segment of society that is trying to eradicate what took place.
And I was acutely aware of all of the richness
of our of our heritage. I taught African American literature.
(06:43):
I love hip hop. We go to hold that literature
from one end to the other, Okay, from the port
to the rapper. I love music from the spirituals of
the songs that were sung by slaves when they were
in the fields onto today and in between. I'm seventy
(07:06):
seven years old, Okay, So I was in the sixties,
you know, with the poor tops and the temptations and
all of that was going on. And then of course
you have the blues, and then you have your spirituals,
and you have your jazz. I mean, all of the
genre there, each worthy in its own way of contributing
(07:28):
to the esthetic of the world, and each in its
own way valuable. And so I knew that it was
necessary to take that history of us coming from Africa
to hear and if you look a look at that
of the architecture of that museum looks like a ship.
(07:52):
It looks like a ship. So you see that journey
coming over, and it needed to be documented. The legacy
needed to be documented for our young people, for others
to know the richness of our culture in every conceivable way.
And that's what that view, zum. But it came it
(08:16):
too fruition did.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
May I second that because as it's interesting because you know,
when you get to be, you know, forty two years old,
you kind of start feeling like you've lived a handful
of lifetimes. You have your own little, little little stories,
you know, these these evolutions of yourself. And once upon
(08:41):
a time I was a student in your African American
literature class. I was a teenager. You found me on
the campus and said, young man, I would like for
you to enroll in my class. And I did. And
I remember you saying the same thing to the classroom
that we need to be responsible for documenting and teaching
(09:02):
our history because and there were a few reasons, but
a couple that stand out in my mind, we are
the best position to do so. And the other is
that history has shown us time and again that there
is often a concerted effort to bury our accomplishments or
(09:23):
to otherwise rewrite the story surrounding the narratives that relate
to us, And so I just wanted to jump in
and second that now I do want to get to
the current attacks on the museum, but for folks that
may not have visited, from folks who may not even
be aware that it exists, it's important to establish what
(09:47):
it is and why it's important. So I appreciate that.
Now let's shift gears here. I'm going to share a
bit from the Associated Press. President Donald Trump's order accusing
the Smithsonian Institution of not reflecting American history notes correctly
that the country's founding fathers declared that all men are
(10:08):
created equal, but it doesn't mention that the founders in
shrine slavery into the US Constitution and declared enslaved persons
as three fifths of a person for the purpose of
the census. Civil rights advocates, historians, and black political leaders
sharply rebuked Trump for his order entitled Restoring Truth Insanity
to American History. They argued that his executive order targeting
(10:30):
the Smithsonian Institution is his administration's latest move to downplay
how racism and Black Americans themselves have shaped the nation's story.
Trump's executive order cites the National Museum of African American
History and Culture by name and argues that the Smithsonian
as a whole is engaging in a concerted and widespread
(10:50):
effort to rewrite our nation's history. In other words, Donald
Trump specifically is attacking the branch of the Smithsonian related
to black history and women's history, by the way, and
I think that they put an injunction into Latino History
because that was a forthcoming museum as well, and they're
saying that, indeed, that museum that is telling the full
(11:13):
story is somehow rewriting the nation's history. Right, So they're
co opting the defense that we would have and trying
to use it on their own.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
So don't be fool.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
That's our job to kind of point this out, all
right now, I'll continue. Instead of celebrating a quote unparalleled
legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights, and human happiness, the
order argues that a corrosive, divisive, race centered ideology has
(11:47):
reconstructed the nation as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise
irredeemably flawed. So this is what they think or this
is what they want us to think. They think because
they know that can't be true. Trump also ordered Interior
Secretary Doug Bergham to determine if any monuments since January
twenty twenty have been removed or changed to perpetuate a
(12:10):
false reconstruction of American history or inappropriately minimize the value
of certain historical events or figures. Trump has long criticized
the removal of Confederate monuments, a movement that gains steam
after the May twenty twenty murder of George Floyd, and
empowers Vice President JD. Vance to review all properties, programs,
and presentations to prohibit programs that degrade shared American values
(12:34):
or divide Americans based on race. Okay, I'm gonna shift.
Here's one more time here because we need to also
say this part. This is from art net, and they
have a much longer, well fleshed out piece on this,
but I've just pulled a piece from it art Net.
So this is about where the museum is. Vance sits
(12:57):
on the Smithsonian seventeen person Board of Regions, alongside Supreme
Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts and six members of Congress,
three from each of the from three from the Senate,
three from the House. There are also nine citizen board members,
who each serve six year terms limited to two terms.
Trump's executive order instructs Advance to recruit new citizen members
(13:19):
who are committed to advancing the policy of this order.
Even without attempting to cut terms short, vans will have
at least six opportunities to appoint new board members next year.
So I want to at a piece here. It's not
one hundred percent clear that JD. Vance has the power
to do that. In other words, at present, Trump can
(13:44):
withhold federal funds to the museum, okay, so that he
can do everything else is still being decided. I'll continue.
About sixty two percent of the Smithsonian's annual budget is
federally funded. That includes its congressional appropriation, federal grants and contracts,
totally about one billion dollars for the twenty twenty four
fiscal year. But the Smithsonian is also heavily dependent on fundraising.
(14:07):
The institution announced its largest ever fundraising effort, called the
Campaign for Our Shared Future, in September, looking to raise
two point five billion dollars ahead of the two hundred
and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the US in
twenty twenty six. So all hope is not lost. But
(14:28):
it is important for people around this country to know
that certain institutions are under attack by folks who are
temporary no matter what. These people are all temporary, no
matter how old. Donald Trump or Donald Trump is not infinite.
Even if he runs as many terms as he says
he wants to run, he doesn't last forever. But black
(14:50):
people do. Okay, our institutions are under attack right now
by a government that feels that these institutions have no
value or are otherwise eroding society. And there's a strong
(15:11):
argument on this side of the table that suggests that
these institutions allow us to reckon with our past so
that we can more clearly define who we want to
be in relation to our past. Okay, now, I appreciate
what you have said motivated you to be one of
(15:34):
the charter members of the National Museum of African American
History and Culture and why it was important. But Q,
I want you to tell a story about your visit
to the National Museum of African American History. I was
there to be fair, but I want to hear you
(15:55):
say it because I think there's another why. For those
that may not want to support this museum or may
not know to support it, there's a why right here.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
So these stories become more difficult to tell as the
days pass, because they require for us to try to
maintain some sense of normalcy with the world, country, and
society that we now live in, and listening to the
story from the associated press. Once upon a time, the
(16:28):
three of us could have laughed at a story like that.
The language and the rhetoric is so ridiculous that we
could have laughed at it, and it would have been
something for the tabloids that people who are now running
the country once upon a time were just celebrities, and
we could have told that story or read that story
(16:49):
and moved on to something more pressing. Except now these
people hold the highest positions of power in our country,
and we have to pretend that everything's going to be okay.
Like the idea that this museum could go away or
not be funded, or be seen as not important or
(17:10):
divisive or somehow rewriting the actual history of our country
should be a laughable and embarrassing thing to say, except
we know that these things that they say are no
longer threats as they enact them on everyday Americans, every day.
But walking through the hallways of that beautiful museum and
(17:32):
being immersed in our history, reading and looking at our stories,
there was a moment. We could have spent several days
there and probably still not taken in everything that was
available for us, But there's a moment where you think
about all of the stories and all of our history
(17:54):
that happened before we were even born, Ramses, and how
those stories and those figures and those people are forever
enshrined in our minds. They are timeless. We saw Emmitt
Till's casket, and you hear Emmitt Till's name as a
figure that existed before us, and I think our minds
(18:17):
forget that Emmitt Till was a child. And it is
a shocking, sobering moment to walk into the part that
looks like his viewing may have looked back then, and
seeing how small that casket is, and as you take
in the nation's history, all the pain and all the
triumph because you see Emmitt Till, but you also see
(18:39):
Barack Obama, and you try to reconcile all that it means.
As we walked up a spiral staircase or a ramp
that you know, moved back and forth up from the
belly of the museum back up to the main floors.
We heard some young ladies singing a familiar song, and
(19:02):
we joined, and as we join, so did other strangers.
Until you realize we have formed, random, in real time,
a choir singing, lift every voice and sing in unison
and in harmony with people who we never met before.
(19:26):
And I remember being so moved by that very, very
communal and powerful moment. And of course there are people
in that museum that aren't black who got to witness
that moment as well, and I'd imagine they thought that
was on the program. They may have done part of
the presentation for the day. But we finished singing that
(19:46):
song and we clapped, and then we went back to
our respective journeys in the museum. But we all knew,
without rehearsal, without instruction, that that moment was for all
of us. And that's what that building represents, our stories
and our history, for all of us to share.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
I want to I want to add to that, because
you know, we were there together. You know, we we
have a relationship with the museum with a few museums,
you know, the National Civil Rights Museum in Tennessee, with
of course the museum in question today at the National
Museum of African American History and Culture. These institutions are different.
(20:31):
There there is a source, a living source of the
truth on this planet, and you can go there and
get a reset. And and for us, you know, I
know that we do this show, and this show is
meant for allyship, but part of allyship is is teaching
people how to love you. That was something that I
(20:54):
think that we needed. But I'll speak for myself, Q.
That was something that I needed because museums. I've been
to hundreds of museum, well maybe not one hundreds, but
tons of museums throughout my life, and they're always very
quiet and you see people walking around and taking it in.
But in the National Museum of African American History and Culture,
they have etched into the wall, lift every voice and
(21:16):
sing a song that I learned because I took your class,
doctor Westernberg, thank you, and reading the lyrics onto the
wall turned into a song. There's a group that was
just reading the lyrics and then they started to sing along,
and then you hear another group singing and then I
(21:38):
hear this deep voice close to me singing and it's
cue and I'm like, I know that song, and then
I start singing in there and this quiet. Like you said,
these people are on their journey throughout this museum, and
there's the living element to it. There is the act
of learning, there is the act of connecting and the
(22:02):
neurons forming. And people that spoke with accents from different
parts of the world, people that looked nothing like us,
people that clearly we're not American, where they're witnessing a living,
breathing moment of solidarity of humanity, of humanity man. And
I mean, I've had to draw a lot of lines,
(22:26):
and I suspect I'll have to draw many more. But
this is a hard line for me. I know it's
a hard line for you, and I know it's a
hard line for you as well, Q that we cannot
lose our institutions and if possible, we are going to
ensure that folks can.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Support.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
You know, there is this movement. It's such a large movement,
and it's ovoholming because it's not only cultures, it's education
that is being eradicated to. Yes, we talk about and
(23:15):
so where do you learn about pest cultures other than
oftentimes within an educational setting, and where do you have
the opportunity It's it's in a way trying to prohibit
(23:38):
intellectual thought processes, and that's something that we are all given.
I'm going to throw something out too, but real fast.
You cited the different organizations with which I am affiliated. Yes,
but when I come to this show, I'm Camello Westingberg
as an individual, as an individual, Okay, because every organization
(24:01):
with which I am affiliated is none partisan, so I
have to make sure it's taken in that context. But
this business of trying to sanitize and eradicate every opportunity,
where do you get civics? Cipher? What is civics? But history?
(24:30):
We don't teach that any longer. That museum is history.
It is history. It is all woven together. It's a
thread threads that's going together, that's trying to erase all
(24:50):
of the others and everything that has happened in the
world other than a select population of people that will
give them power and money. And I'm going to throw
something else out there that I'm just very quickly that
in my mind in some ways is germane to it. Okay,
there was another museum there. There was a media museum,
(25:17):
a wonderful, wonderful medium museum on the mall. I loved it.
It showed radio, television, newspapers, and it just a history,
all accounts of it. Somewhere it disappeared somewhere. I don't
know why. It's just one year I was back, it
(25:39):
was gone. And I have lamented ever since because and
you all are in media. Yeah, that's where the stories
are told. That's where the truth, what is happening is
(26:01):
from context perspected. And I don't know what happened to
all of the artifacts in there. It was phenomenal. It
was phenomenal. I don't know it's finances, But to lose that,
I have been so saddened by it because it was
a treasure. It was a treasure because media gave the
(26:26):
whole advantage point of the world as to how media
in the United States has been presented telling the whole
story of this country. And that is what is happening
with the African American Museum.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Well, we're going to have some more information on ways
that people can support because again, at present, the only
attack that they're susceptible to is federal funds and unfortunately
we have some options, so stay tuned, ye
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