A Fool's Errand

“Seamlessly weaves the personal and political work that went into envisioning, planning, funding, building, and opening the museum.” —Library Journal, starred review “Like the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History itself, its inaugural director’s memoir tells a challenging and ultimately inspiring story of struggle, perseverence, and uplift.” –Booklist “One reads here a great historian reaching for the nitty gritty and the mountain tops of American history in ways that end much better than Albion Tourgée’s ‘fool’s errand.’” —David W. Blight “This fascinating memoir provides the crucial institutional history that NMAAHC so richly deserves.” —Henry Louis Gates Jr. “America owes Bunch a debt for creating the museum, now we are in his debt, again, for this elegant story of triumph.” —Scott Pelley “A fascinating depiction of a dreamer and his destiny as he works faithfully to bring to fruition a home not just for artifacts, but finally a resting place of memory and spirit.” —Angela Bassett “In this engaging and candid book, Lonnie Bunch enables us to understand how he and a community of coworkers and supporters created a twenty-first century museum of which all Americans can be proud.” —Eric Foner “This stirring tale of a labor of love should be read by anyone and everyone who wants to understand how to fight for representation of that which matters most.” —Darren Walker “In A Fool’s Errand Lonnie Bunch memorializes the fulfillment of a long overdue undertaking.” —Congressman James E. Clyburn “[Bunch] has brought to life a magnificent museum.” —William S. Cohen “This book begins like a mystery, unfolds like a thriller, and ends like a romance novel of love for a people whose heritage has been hostage to hostility and ignorance. Lonnie Bunch led in creating a monumental institution that will stand the test of time.” —Michael Eric Dyson

LONNIE G. BUNCH III is Founding Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and now Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Prior to becoming the director, he served as the president of the Chicago Historical Society and as the associate director for curatorial affairs at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Bunch is also co-author of The American Presidency- A Glorious Burden (Smithsonian Books, 2000) and From No Return- The 221-Year Journey of the Slave Ship S o Jose (Smithsonian Books, 2017)

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