The Politics of Repatriation: When History Becomes a Target

In a climate of shifting national policies, some of our most important historical institutions are being targeted. This summer marked the beginnings of an unsettling trend our national museums: artifacts being "repatriated" in a deliberate attempt to re-write the past.

We hear from Tasheni Mpundu about the changes she's witnessed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, including the removal of key artifacts like Solomon Northup's "12 Years a Slave" exhibit. But this story isn't just about what's being lost.

We also feature a conversation with Bass Lab archivist Laura Walton, who discusses our artifact preservation project, launched in partnership with AfroLA. This initiative empowers individuals to proactively document and preserve their own histories, providing a powerful response to institutional neglect.

Join us as we explore what organizations and individuals can do when cultural aversion becomes a form of historical violence and learn how a community-led effort is fighting back.