Understanding America: Conversations with Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution

Join Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III for the concluding installment of “Understanding America,” a conversation moderated by award-winning journalist Laura Coates. The program marks the 10th anniversary of the National Museum of African American History and Culture and considers the museum’s first decade of shaping how visitors engage with the American story.

Bunch, Coates, and special guests will discuss the lasting significance of African American history within the broader history of the United States, the role of museums in examining the past and making space for differing perspectives, and the possibilities raised by the nation’s 250th anniversary. The conversation will look toward both the country’s shared past and its future.

When: Friday, September 25, 2026

Showtimes: 7:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Venue: National Museum of African American History and Culture, Heritage Hall

Tickets: Free; registration is required.

Moderator: Laura Coates, award-winning journalist

Participants: Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, in conversation with Laura Coates and special guests

Series: The Reunion

Event type: After Five; Lectures & Discussions; Celebrations; Shopping/Book Signing