D.C. Residents Rally to Save Anacostia Community Museum Amid Federal Funding Threats

D.C. Residents Rally to Save Anacostia Community Museum Amid Federal Funding Threats

The Anacostia Community Museum (ACM), a cultural institution dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Washington’s Black community, is facing a funding crisis that could force its closure. On August 9, about 30 residents from across the D.C. area gathered in Ward 8 to march in support of the museum after learning that the Smithsonian Institution’s latest budget — backed by the Trump administration — had eliminated its funding.


A Beloved Institution Under Threat

For longtime supporter Lydia Curtis, 68, the news was devastating.

“I love the museum. It chronicles the history of the Black community. It would be a tragedy if the museum is closed,” she said.

Curtis joined fellow demonstrators, many wearing Save Our Museum T-shirts distributed by the Anacostia Coordinating Council, to march from the museum’s Fort Stanton location to the Go-Go Museum and Café on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE.


A Rally in the Shadow of Federal Control

The march took place against a backdrop of increasing federal intervention in D.C. affairs. In recent weeks, the National Park Service announced plans to reinstall a Confederate statue removed in 2020, President Donald Trump federalized the Metropolitan Police Department, and Congress blocked the city’s ability to spend $1.1 billion in locally generated funds.

Ward 1 resident James H. Walker blamed these moves on the administration’s disregard for D.C. residents.

“He is acting like a dictator. The people want this museum to stay open. This museum represents my people and its history.”


Organizing to Save the Museum

Catherine Buell, co-chair of the Save Our Museum committee, said the march is part of a broader push to raise awareness. The group is launching a social media campaign and lobbying lawmakers to restore the museum’s $3 million in funding.

Buell, who credits ACM senior historian Dr. Gloria Lowe with inspiring her to work on housing and living conditions in Ward 8, noted that there is language in a Senate appropriations bill to restore the funds. D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton is also advocating for funding in the House.

“We are beating a steady drumbeat,” Buell said.


Community Support Along the Route

Marchers walked the 1.3-mile route chanting Save Our Museum while onlookers cheered. Pearl Eni, the march coordinator, ensured the procession moved smoothly to its first stop at the Go-Go Museum before heading to Busboys & Poets Anacostia for a rally.

Ward 7 resident Jacqueline Stallworth, 54, said the effort was worth the hilly trek:

“We have a right to have a say in our community… keeping that museum open is that important to me.”


More Than a Museum

At the rally, Salim Adofo, chair of ANC 8C, described ACM as a multifunctional community hub — a place for learning Black history, attending cultural celebrations like Kwanzaa, buying fresh produce, and engaging in civic discussions.

Andy Shallal, co-chair of the Save Our Museum committee and owner of Busboys & Poets, argued that defunding ACM is part of a broader attempt to roll back civil rights gains.

“They are trying to bring back the Confederacy… This is about the erasure of history and the erasure of communities,” Shallal said.

Despite political challenges, Shallal expressed hope, calling the march “one of the most successful” he has been involved in because of the passion and dedication of participants.


Looking Ahead

For supporters, saving ACM is about more than preserving artifacts — it’s about safeguarding a space that reflects, educates, and empowers the community. As federal funding remains uncertain, organizers vow to keep the pressure on lawmakers until the museum’s future is secure.

“It’s an important institution,” Curtis said. “We can’t lose it.”

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