Comment | As the US's 250th anniversary approaches, museums must keep pushing the American story forward

"President Warren G. Harding was calling for a return to "normalcy"-a word whose resonance in today's political rhetoric suggests a familiar retreat-as the nation grappled with sweeping social, political and cultural shifts. The Harlem Renaissance was flourishing; racial violence, such as the Tulsa Race Massacre, laid bare deep racial divides; and artists like Edward Hopper and Georgia O'Keeffe were redefining American art."

"More than a century later, as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, it is staggering that we continue to wrestle with the same raw questions of identity, inclusion and historical narrative. Here in Washington, DC, cultural institutions are navigating renewed calls for a return to "normalcy" and "sanity" alongside efforts to narrow the scope of the American story. While some organisations have been more directly targeted, these broader pressures are reshaping the cultural landscape we all share."

The Phillips Collection opened in 1921 amid national upheaval, with Duncan Phillips envisioning a museum for reflection, experimentation, civic dialogue, and respite rather than passive admiration. The era included the Harlem Renaissance, racial violence like the Tulsa Race Massacre, and artists redefining American art. More than a century later, persistent questions of identity, inclusion, and historical narrative remain as the nation nears its 250th anniversary. Cultural institutions in Washington, DC face renewed calls for 'normalcy' and efforts to narrow the American story while confronting loss of federal funding, financial strain, changing public expectations, and intensified scrutiny of museums' civic roles.

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