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Several artifacts have been removed from the National Museum of African American History and Culture following an executive order handed down from President Donald Trump.
According to NBC Washington, the owners of several historical objects said their items were taken down after Trump signed an executive order to remove pieces from Smithsonian museums in D.C.
Civil rights activist Rev. Amos Brown noted that he was notified that two artifacts he loaned to the museum were being returned to him.
One of the artifacts was a book written by Rev. George Washington Williams in 1880, which detailed the "first history of the Negro race," Brown said. The other returned item was a Bible he took to demonstrations with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesse Jackson.
Brown, who has been loaning the artifacts to the museum since 2016, noted that he was previously given the option to donate the books permanently or renew the loan. This time, Brown said he wasn't asked.
"It is downright dishonest and it is demeaning," Brown said of the removal. "I hope people of good will, of conscience and common sense will rise up and say 'we need to stop this'."
Individuals who visited the museum before the removals also pointed out the recent changes.
Virginia resident Aaron Weaver said the Smithsonian board needs to "step up, plain and simple."
"I know certain exhibits that were there that were missing, like Nat Turner's Bible was one," Weaver said. "Woolworth, the Greensboro massacre table that was missing as well, but the digital display was still there."
In a statement, Linda St. Thomas, the Smithsonian Institute's chief spokesperson, addressed reports of artifacts being removed from exhibits.
"The Greensboro, NC, lunch counter is not leaving the Smithsonian. It is on display at the National Museum of American History where it has been for many years. The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) also has two stools from the original counter; one is on exhibit at all times, the other rotates in so that they can be properly preserved.
The Bible and book belong to Rev. Brown of San Francisco who generously loaned them to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture for an exhibition. The loan agreement expires in May and the items are being returned to the owner which is standard museum practice. The curator called and wrote to Rev. Brown."
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