Bishop E.W. Jackson Sr., a senior pastor and author who is a descendant of enslaved individuals, has voiced strong criticism of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, accusing it of anti-American "indoctrination." Jackson contends that the museum promotes a narrative that unfairly targets the United States, despite his belief that America offers unparalleled opportunities.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Jackson expressed anger and sadness over what he perceives as smears against the nation, stating, "It makes me angry when people do this to our country, but it's sad too because what it tells me is that the indoctrination machine is hard at work convincing people [of] this narrative." He emphasized his view that the U.S. is "the greatest nation on earth" and that many are "so indoctrinated into seeing our country sliced and diced into race and ethnicity and class and income and so forth that they fail to understand the blessing of the United States of America."
The Smithsonian National Museum of American History (NMAH) has recently faced scrutiny following a White House report, "Saving America's Story," which described the museum as having undergone "ideological capture." The report highlighted exhibits, placards, and information about museum leadership.
Scrutiny of Museum Leadership and Exhibits
Congressional hearings have further intensified the focus on NMAH leadership, particularly Director Anthea Hartig. A resurfaced video shows Hartig describing "history as a practice" as a "prime tool of social justice." In a 2025 presentation, she also stated that the U.S.'s "long and violent racial history continues to be present in our reckoning" and suggested that "redress in the form of reparation" should extend beyond acknowledgement to include corrective actions and restorative justice.
Jackson countered Hartig's views, asserting that history should primarily present facts without dictating interpretations. "She talks about how history should be a tool of social justice. No, history should be facts about what has happened in the past and leave others to draw their own conclusions about what those facts mean," he said. He believes Hartig's approach aims "to get people to think a certain way and respond a certain way and, namely, to be somewhat angry and bitter and resentful of our country because of our past."
Historical Precedents and Ideological Influence
Jackson stated he has been warning about what he calls woke ideology at the Smithsonian and in broader American culture for years. In 2015, he challenged the National Portrait Gallery's inclusion of Margaret Sanger in an exhibit on civil rights leaders, citing Sanger's history with eugenics and racist remarks.
Jackson attributes the influence of what he describes as ideological capture to books like Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States." He characterized Zinn as a "professed anarchist" who wrote a "polemic against America." Jackson expressed concern that the book remains highly influential in public schools and colleges, shaping how American history is taught.
As an example, he pointed to materials from the Zinn Education Project that draw parallels between contemporary deportation efforts and those during the Great Depression, describing the latter as stemming from "a program of ‘racial expulsion,’ rooted in racism."
Jackson argued that such an education can lead to negative perceptions of the country. "If you're learning that from the very beginning of your education, my goodness, by the time you're an adult and you've been through 20,000 hours of that, no wonder we've got people protesting outside of [immigration facilities], and no wonder you've got people at the Smithsonian talking about America as if we're the worst place on earth to live," he said. "They frankly have been brainwashed and indoctrinated into it."
Countering this perspective, Jackson asserted, "There is no place on earth that has been more affirming of human dignity, offered more opportunity for human flourishing. And frankly acknowledged in spite of the apparent differences that we have, that we are ultimately one nation under God."
He concluded by sharing his personal experience: "I think loving America is easy because, you’re right, I'm the great-grandson of slaves, I am a product of a broken home and foster care, and yet my life has just been wonderfully blessed." Jackson attributes this to divine grace and living in a country where "anything is possible, where you're free, where you can dream, you can strive to fulfill your God-given gifts and talents and abilities."