Story perspectives

Smithsonian Defends Nonpartisan Stance at House Hearing

7/24/2026

Summary

Story summary

Anthea Hartig testified before the House on July 21, 2026 after a White House report labeled the Smithsonian museum extremist.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn) chaired the hearing and said the museum was infected by woke ideology.
Anthea Hartig defended the museum as nonpartisan and fact-based, noting her only regret was a mislabelled coin.
Mike Gonzalez condemned the “The Electric Dr. Franklin” exhibit for implying Franklin used enslaved people in experiments without evidence.

History

Historical Context

Created in 1965, the NEA endured mounting attacks after Reagan’s budget cuts and the 1989 Mapplethorpe controversy. Conservative figures such as Senator Jesse Helms and Speaker Newt Gingrich amplified criticism, prompting 1995 congressional hearings that preceded the 1996 budget cut to $99.5 million. Today’s hearing reflects the same culture-war dynamic that has shaped NEA funding for decades.

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Story summary

Anthea Hartig testified before the House on July 21, 2026 after a White House report labeled the Smithsonian museum extremist.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn) chaired the hearing and said the museum was infected by woke ideology.
Anthea Hartig defended the museum as nonpartisan and fact-based, noting her only regret was a mislabelled coin.
Mike Gonzalez condemned the “The Electric Dr. Franklin” exhibit for implying Franklin used enslaved people in experiments without evidence.

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