On Tuesday, the House Committee on Oversight held a hearing in which Rep. Brandon Gill questioned Dr. Anthea Hartig, director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, about a document circulated by the museum.
The document, described by museum officials as a “mass toolkit,” includes language that characterizes concepts such as politeness, objectivity and popular cultural symbols as elements of a broader cultural analysis.
Gill asked whether the museum considers politeness a defining characteristic of white‑supremacist culture, to which Hartig responded that politeness is important but did not elaborate on the toolkit’s specific language.
The questioning continued with a focus on the museum’s stated goal of objectivity in historical scholarship. Gill highlighted a passage linking objectivity to the same cultural framework, prompting Hartig to reaffirm the museum’s commitment to nonpartisan research while noting the toolkit was not produced by the Smithsonian.
The exchange also addressed an exhibit that referenced Mickey Mouse, with Gill asserting the exhibit described the character as linked to black‑face minstrelsy. Hartig clarified that the exhibit noted historical ties to minstrelsy but stopped short of labeling the character itself as racist.
Throughout the hearing, Gill repeatedly returned to the toolkit’s language, asking Hartig to reconcile the museum’s educational mission with the document’s characterizations. Hartig maintained that the museum does not promote any ideology and that her role is to ensure factual accuracy.
The hearing concluded without a definitive resolution, leaving open questions about how the museum’s internal documents align with its public programming and interpretive standards.
