Smithsonian Institution Director Dr. Anthea Hartig has spent decades promoting what one historian described as an activist and Marxist-inspired approach to history, raising questions about whether the nation’s premier museum system is being led by an activist rather than an objective historian.
Dr. Jody Edward Ginn argued that Hartig has worked to pivot traditional historical organizations toward activist missions, including during her time as president of the Organization of American Historians (OAH) and her leadership role at the California Historical Society.
„She’s asserting herself as a historical scholar who should get the last word on these things,“ Ginn told Fox News Digital. „Well, there’s more than one problem with that. And it starts with the fact that I don’t think she’s really ever been a historian, she has been an advocate, an activist.“
Ginn said his research into Hartig’s professional background yielded accounts from her former associates indicating that she has „long been known for“ pushing such agendas.
One early example Ginn cited was Hartig’s 1995 research article, „In a World He Has Created,“ published by the California Historical Society, where Hartig later served as an executive director for seven years beginning in 2011.
In the article, Hartig drew on the economic and social theories of Karl Marx to analyze the success of California’s agricultural citrus industry, arguing that a wealthy „ruling class“ had manipulated the Southern California landscape to reinforce and validate its own class power, including by physically concealing cheap labor.
By the second paragraph of the article, Hartig referenced photographs depicting the nearby estates and characterized them as „the standard paternalistic, elitist, racist, sexist promotional fare of the age.“
Ginn argued that the article is significant because it „doesn’t read as a historical examination“ but instead as a „political treatise.“
„The whole thing does not read as a scholarly historical examination,“ Ginn said. „It reads as advocating that for a particular point of view, a Marxist-informed point of view, and not an objective historical analysis.“
In 2023, Hartig assumed a one-year presidency at the Organization of American Historians, an organization Ginn said is „well on the record for advocating for people’s activism.“
According to the organization’s website, „The OAH actively collaborates with advocacy partners to support history and advance our mission.“
Hartig’s 2024 presidential address, published in the Journal of American History, was titled „Where Have All the Women Gone? Let’s Bring Them Back before It’s Too Late.“
In the address, Hartig asserted that despite decades of activism and historical research, women’s „lives, accomplishments, bodies, and futures matter less.“
Ginn also criticized Hartig’s recent Capitol Hill testimony in July, in which she said the Smithsonian’s work is governed by nonpartisanship and „does not take sides in America’s political debates.“
Ginn said he found the account dishonest, arguing that Hartig’s research background and resurfaced video footage directly contradict her testimony.
The resurfaced video shows Hartig asserting that history should be used as a „tool of social justice.“
„She’s denying it. That’s the most perplexing thing for me,“ Ginn said.
„That’s kind of the first frustrating thing for me as a scholar,“ he added. „It’s kind of hard to have an honest conversation about this, when they won’t acknowledge the obvious.“
Embattled Smithsonian director brought ‘Marxist’ activism, political agenda to roles through career: historian 2026 IUSTITIA.BG – Investigations 2009-2025 2026-08-10 10:30:37 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
