09/09/2026
It’s difficult to put into words the impact of a career that has helped shape not only museums, but the way we understand, preserve, and experience our collective history.
Congratulations, Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, on nearly four decades of extraordinary service to the .
From helping preserve the objects that tell the story of America, to taking what was once a dream and building the NMAAHC, to becoming the first African American and first historian to serve as Secretary of the Smithsonian.
Your fingerprints are forever woven into the way this nation remembers itself.
But beyond the titles, buildings, collections, and accomplishments is something even greater: the generations of historians, museum professionals, storytellers, and visitors who see history differently because of your work.
Your value is immeasurable.
It has been an immense honor to meet you, learn from you, and have the privilege of photographing you throughout the years. As a photographer who believes deeply in preserving our stories, I don’t take those moments lightly.
And just last month in Philadelphia, it was incredible to watch you speak life into hundreds of historians and museum professionals at the Association of African American Museums conference. To witness a room full of people listening, learning, and being challenged to continue the work felt especially meaningful.
I know they left carrying pieces of that wisdom with them and that they will continue the work in their own museums, communities, institutions, and corners of the world.
Perhaps that is one of the greatest measures of a legacy: not only what you built, but what you inspired others to keep building.
Thank you for reminding us that history isn’t simply something we look back on. It helps us understand who we are, and it shapes what we leave behind.
Congratulations on 38 remarkable years, Secretary Bunch.
What a legacy. And what a gift to have witnessed even a small part of it. 🖤
-Megan
📷 Baltimore Wedding Photographers