Bunch, Lonnie G. III, 1952-

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Historian and educator Lonnie G. Bunch was born November 18, 1952, in Newark, New Jersey. After graduating from Belleville High School in 1970, Bunch enrolled in Howard University and later transferred to the American University in Washington, D.C. Bunch stayed at American, earning his B.A. degree in 1974; his M.A. degree in 1976; and his Ph.D. in 1979. Bunch's degrees were in the fields of American and African American history.

While working on his doctorate, Bunch went to work for the Smithsonian Institution as an educator and historian. After earning his Ph.D., Bunch took a position with the University of Massachusetts as a professor of history, where he remained until 1983. Crossing the country, Bunch became the founding curator of the California African American Museum in Los Angeles in 1983, and remained there until 1989. From there Bunch went on to become the associate director for curatorial affairs at the National Museum of American History, a position he retained until 2000. In 2001, Bunch became the president of the Chicago Historical Society, one of the oldest history museums in the nation.

Bunch published numerous books and magazine articles on topics ranging from African American history to cultural experiences in Japan. Bunch served as a trustee of the American Association of Museums and the Council of the American Association of State & Local History, and was a member of the American Antiquarian Society. Bunch was later appointed by President George W. Bush to the Commission for the Preservation of the White House.

From The HistoryMakers™ biography: https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/A2003.212

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn National Archives Symposium: 200th Anniversary of the 1808 Slave Trade Act National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Panel: Congressional Black Caucus National Archives at College Park
referencedIn American Conversations--New Culture: The Museum Renaissance National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Panel: 50th Anniversary of Little Rock: Remembering the Documentary Film, Nine from Little Rock National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Presidential Photographs, 1/20/2009 - 1/20/2017 Barack H. Obama Library
referencedIn American Conversations: Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Lonnie Bunch National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Go Forth and Serve: African American Land Grant Colleges Audiovisual Collection National Museum of American History (U.S.). Archives Center
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Black History Month Program National Archives at College Park
creatorOf The HistoryMakers Video Oral History with Lonnie Bunch The HistoryMakers
referencedIn Naturalization Ceremony with Allen Weinstein, Lonnie Bunch National Archives at College Park
referencedIn American Conversations--John Hope Franklin National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records Related to Commission Membership, 10/29/2018 - 12/18/2020 National Archives at College Park
Relation Name
alumnusOrAlumnaOf American University corporateBody
employeeOf California Afro-American Museum corporateBody
associatedWith George Washington University corporateBody
employeeOf National Museum of African American History and Culture (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Community Life. corporateBody
employeeOf Smithsonian Institution corporateBody
associatedWith University of Massachusetts Dartmouth corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
District of Columbia DC US
United States 00 US
Newark NJ US
Subject
Occupation
Curator
Museum Chief Executive
Museum curators
Activity

Person

Birth 19521118

Americans

English

Information

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