February 9, 2026

Protecting Black History When Truth Is Under Pressure

A message from Lord's President Joy Bailey-Bryant

Right now, across the country – in cities like Philadelphia and our nation's capitol of Washington DC, in federal cemeteries, even online – we’re watching Black history disappear.

When public memory, collective truth, and historical facts are under attack, who steps forward to defend these principles?

Museums and cultural institutions are tasked with more than preserving history. They’re being asked to protect truth, to hold space for difficult knowledge, and to carry memory forward when it’s most vulnerable.

This kind of erasure is not new. We have seen it in the disappearance of self-governed Black towns and autonomous communities, and we continue to see it through urban renewal – and it will not be the last time. 

This Black History Month and in the days, months and years to come we choose truth. And by supporting the work of our Black cultural organizations, we ensure all the truth will carry on…

This Black History Month, we’re amplifying ways Black cultural organizations are answering this moment through their everyday work. They represent different places and different spaces, united through a shared responsibility.

They help us grapple with big concepts below.

Let us know what voices, stories and moments are shaping your perspective right now. Join the conversation on LinkedIn.