Page 109 - Powerlist 2019 - Digital Edition

INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Lonnie Bunch

Author, educator and historian

t’s just over two years since Lonnie Bunch, the you care about our notions of spirituality, optimism,
founding director of the National Museum of resiliency – this is the place for you.”
IAfrican American History and Culture (NMAAHC), Prior to his time at NMAAHC, Lonnie worked as
opened the site with former US President Barack the president of the Chicago Historical Society
Obama and the late Ruth Odom Bonner, whose between 2001 and 2005. During his time there, he
father was born a slave, at his side. oversaw an institutional reorganisation, initiated
This celebrated museum, co-designed by award an outreach initiative to diverse communities and
winning architect Sir David Adjaye, is the culmination launched an acclaimed exhibition on teenage life,
of decades of hard work and campaigning by those, called Teen Chicago.
such as Lonnie, who were determined to create a Lonnie is currently at University College London
place that tells the true stories of those who faced as an Honorary Visiting Research Fellow, a post he
– and still face – a myriad of challenges. holds until November this year.
It took more than a century from inception to He will engage with graduate students,
manifestation to build a place that accurately reflects researchers and members of the public at various
the history of people who have endured much and events, where he will share his peerless knowledge
emerged resilient. and no doubt inspire those who are fortunate enough
And, so popular is this bastion of African American to hear him speak.
history, that it is often difficult to get into the
museum. Entry tickets are timed and hours have to
be extended at times to accommodate visitors.
Lonnie, who is a prolific author and educator as
well as a renowned historian, is the man at the heart
of identifying the museum’s mission. He develops
its exhibitions and public programmes as well as
coordinating fundraising and budget development.
Also, under Lonnie’s leadership, the NMAAHC
opened seven exhibitions in its gallery based at the
Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
Lonnie’s love of history – he was interested in the
subject from childhood – has undoubtedly shaped his
life and career. From his early days as one of the few
African Americans in New Jersey, Lonnie’s thirst for
history, the truth and for telling the stories of those
whose voices were never heard, has been powerful.
He received undergraduate and graduate degrees
from the American University in Washington DC in
African American and American history, and in 2017,
Lonnie was elected to the American Academy of Arts
and Sciences. He has received honorary doctorates
from universities including Princeton University,
Brown University, Dominican University, Georgetown,
Roosevelt University, Rutgers University and his alma
mater, American University.
He received an honorary doctor of humane letters
from Georgetown University last year for his role in
the creation of NMAAHC.
He told Georgetown: “For us, this museum had to
be a place where people actually found the truth.
But equally important, we had to have people
understand that this museum was not a museum for
black people by black people.
“That, in essence, this is a museum that said if you
care about America, if you care about our ideals, if

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