UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture will join Penn State President Eric J. Barron during the next episode of WPSU Penn State’s “Digging Deeper” on Sunday, Dec. 17.
Lonnie G. Bunch III will discuss his more than 30 years as a museum curator and administrator, and the more than decade long process to establish and open the Washington, D.C., museum. The National Museum of African American History and Culture was established in 2003 and opened in September 2016, and contains approximately 45,000 objects related to subjects including community, family, the visual and performing arts, religion, civil rights and segregation.
WPSU’s “Digging Deeper” will air at 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. on WPSU-TV.
As museum director, Bunch promotes its mission to help audiences see African-American history as American history and provides strategic leadership in areas of fundraising, collections and academic and cultural partnerships.
Prior to his current role, Bunch served as president of the Chicago Historical Society. In addition to teaching at several universities, Bunch also has worked at the National Museum of American History, the California African American Museum and the National Air and Space Museum. He has also written on topics ranging from the black military experience, the American presidency and all-black towns in the American West.
Bunch also appeared on WPSU-FM’s “Take Note,” the station’s weekly community affairs radio program that features in-depth interviews with central Pennsylvania and national newsmakers.
Visit the WPSU “Digging Deeper” website for more information and to watch archived episodes.