The National Museum of African American History and Culture and Lonnie Bunch

Steven  Rogers; Derrick  Jackson

Case | HBS Case Collection | June 2019

The National Museum of African American History and Culture and Lonnie Bunch

by Steven Rogers and Derrick Jackson

Abstract

Lonnie Bunch creates the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) with only half the federal support given to the first 17 Smithsonian historical or zoological institutions. Bunch, to borrow from the African American experience of creating “a way out of no way,” raised more than the $250 million required in his capital campaign to trigger matching federal funds. In the face of traditional philanthropy that did not support “bricks and mortar” projects and despite racially-tinged patronization of his ideas to market the museum, Bunch, appointed as director of the museum in 2005, saw the museum open to international acclaim in 2016. It became the third most-visited museum in the Smithsonian system.

Keywords: museums; fundraising; Arts; Buildings and Facilities; Ethnicity; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Strategy; Marketing; Success; Leadership; Entrepreneurship;

Language: English

Format: Print

27 pages

Educators

Citation:

Rogers, Steven, and Derrick Jackson. "The National Museum of African American History and Culture and Lonnie Bunch." Harvard Business School Case 319-104, June 2019.

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Faculty & Research

The National Museum of African American History and Culture and Lonnie Bunch

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