Newly appointed Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution Lonnie Bunch will embark on a national tour to discuss his new book “A Fool’s Errand: Creating the National Museum of African American History and Culture in the Age of Bush, Obama, and Trump.”
The tour, which kicks off Sept. 19 in Chicago, takes Bunch to seven cities across the country, with more dates to be announced next year.
The book chronicles the strategies, support systems and coalitions Bunch put in place to build the Smithsonian’s 19th museum, one that would attract more than four million visitors during its first two years. The book goes on sale Sept. 24, marking the third anniversary of the museum’s opening.
A public event will also be held that day at the museum located in northwest D.C. in celebration of its anniversary.
During the tour, Bunch will discuss the book with high profile journalists and historians including Scott Pelley, Gayle King and Henry Louis “Skip” Gates.
The schedule for the 2019 tour is as follows:
• Sept. 19 – Chicago Museum of History, Chicago
• Sept. 24 – The National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, D.C.
In conversation with Scott Pelley, correspondent for the CBS News’ “60 Minutes”
• Oct. 1 – The Apollo Theater, New York City
In conversation with Gayle King, co-host of “CBS This Morning”
• Oct. 14 – The African American Museum in Philadelphia, a Smithsonian Affiliate (This event is private, but open to the media)
• Oct. 15 – The Museum of the American Revolution, Philadelphia
In conversation with Scott Stephenson, museum president and chief executive
• Oct. 22 – Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University, Boston
In conversation with Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University
• Oct. 25 – The Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
• Nov. 16 – Nate Holden Theater, Los Angeles
Book tour tickets must be reserved at www.nmaahc.si.edu/nmaahcbooktour.