August 10th, 2020

We are a community of current and former employees and supporters of The National WWII Museum who have rallied together to expose the unethical practices that we, and many before us, have been subjected to under museum leadership. Nearly one hundred current and former employees, volunteers, and visitors have expressed disappointment in the practices of Nick Mueller, Stephen Watson, and Becky Mackie. There are current employees of the Museum that are bound to silence and are counting on DismantleNWWIIM to elevate their voices. They are afraid of reprisal in an institution where they should feel safe and free to express their experiences, concerns, and grievances without penalty.

In the wake of this country’s response to the senseless murders of our Black brothers and sisters, we come as a concerned, frustrated community of unheard stakeholders in The National WWII Museum’s mission. It is our intent to expose and address the toxic environment that the current Executive Team and Board of Trustees has perpetuated for the past twenty years.

The National WWII Museum’s mission is to “tell the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world—why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today—so that all generations will understand the price of freedom and be inspired by what they learn.” We at DismantleNWWIIM have recognized that The National WWII Museum has failed to achieve its mission. The WWII history that is marketed to present Museum consumers heavily highlights the narrative and glorification of the white American soldier’s experience. The WWII American military and home front were composed of many cultures and backgrounds. Yet, there is minimal visual representation of non-white experiences and cultural knowledge throughout the six-acre span of the museum’s campus.

If The National WWII Museum’s vision is to “interact with diverse communities to expand their understanding of the history and meaning of America’s role in World War II and its relevance for today and for the future,” why does the Executive Team and Board at this institution lack representation from these diverse communities?

Since the museum's grand opening in 2000, The Board of Trustees has been the critical factor in leading, building, and supporting The National WWII Museum. With 98% of the current Board officers (2020-2021) consisting of white-passing members, and 10% being women, the Board of Trustees does not reflect the demographics of the surrounding New Orleans community, as only 2% of the Board is black in a 60% black city. The National WWII Museum vision statement declares an intention to “serve as a catalyst for cultural tourism to strengthen the economic and community development of New Orleans and Louisiana,” yet it does not honor or engage with the people historically responsible for New Orleans’ culture. So DismantleNWWIIM has to ask, what interests are The National WWII Museum actually serving?

The National WWII Museum is a cultural institution that must represent everyone. Museums across the country are inequitably controlled by the wealthy. Board Members at The National WWII Museum have to contribute a minimum of $10k a year in order to oversee the narrative and budget allocations of the institution. This creates an economic barrier to recruiting members of more diverse backgrounds. From their wealthy positions, they are given free-range to maintain control over the biased history marketed to Museum consumers. The Board is, essentially, holding American history hostage. And that is a disservice to all those who have served on the home front and overseas for this country.

In addition to the Board’s fiduciary responsibilities, they also have an ethical responsibility to ensure the national museum for WWII disseminates the truth about history. Future generations are relying upon the Museum for knowledge. Thus far, the Museum has failed to provide a truthful depiction of the historical record because it silences so many essential voices. Future generations will study the current Board and see how they have failed up until this moment. The Board of Trustees has an opportunity to correct both the history presented in the Museum, as well as the past two decades of culture amongst the staff, visitors, and supporters. Without these corrections, The National WWII Museum will fade and lose its relevance among new generations moving forward. If that happens, the Museum will have directly done everyone who served and made the ultimate sacrifice a grave disservice. It is the Board’s responsibility to make sure that the loved ones we lost did not die in vain.

Our grievances, as a collective, encompass all facets of the adverse environment that the Museum has created, protected, and preserved amongst its staff and visitors. With the oversight of the Museum’s Human Resources Department, many of the ailments of racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, and toxic culture have gone unacknowledged by the Museum. As a collective, we are taking a stand and demanding that The National WWII Museum make the changes outlined below

(as inspired by our comrades at DismantleNOMA 2020):

We demand acknowledgement: a public apology from the National WWII Museum for sustaining a discriminatory and toxic work environment amongst its staff, visitors, and supporters.

We demand inclusion: the NWWIIM implement a new recruitment process, along with reduction in the $10k annual gift they must make to maintain their membership, to help diversify the Board of Trustees.

We demand action: the NWWIIM issue an action-plan to diversify leadership positions.

We demand transparency: the NWWIIM reveal the demographics of the members on the current Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work team to ensure the diversity, equity, and inclusion of all of the members is reflective of the community of supporters.

We demand economic security: an equitable redistribution of departmental and staff wages that include a permanent policy to entail all employees make a starting living wage of $15/hr or higher.

We demand accountability: a mandatory, formal, independent investigation into all complaints made to HR and museum leadership regarding BIPOC, LGBTQ+ bias, gender bias, and sexual harassment.

We demand visibility: the NWWIIM implement multiple permanent galleries to honor the BIPOC soldiers who served during WWII.

We demand equity: that the NWWIIM allocate a higher percentage of their budget to the Education department in order to aid in outreach to locally-based BIPOC schools and form meaningful and mutually beneficial partnerships.

We demand safety: the NWWIIM implement a safe and unbiased system for reporting workplace discrimination and racial bias to be evaluated externally by a council composed of independent BIPOC and LGBTQ stakeholders.

With these demands, and your communication with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) consultants, Dottie Reese and Dr. Margaret Montgomery-Richard of DMM & Associates, who are currently hired to assist you with your DEI initiative, we insist you exercise transparency with the public and the DismantleNWWIIM community, as stakeholders in the Museum's mission. We want real-time information on the developments of your initiative, the inclusion of community feedback, and extended invitations into the spaces where these initiatives are being organized. In order to prevent misconceptions about your current initiative in developing the DEI training program at the museum, it is imperative that the Executive Team and Board of Trustees take the uncomfortable steps to practice full transparency with the community.

The movement is growing daily. The DismantleNWWIIM community is watching and will not stop until justice is served. To join the call to action with our colleagues around the world, PLEASE SIGN HERE or email DismantleNWWIIM2020@gmail.com to share your experience.

In solidarity,

The DismantleNWWIIM Team

Standing In Solidarity With Us:

Aaron Richert, Ally, New Orleans, LA

Abbey Murrell, Artist, Ally, New Orleans, LA

Adrien, Resident, New Orleans, LA

Aisha Stewart, Activist, Artist, Writer, New Orleans, LA

AJ Durand, Ally, New Orleans

Alex Furtado, Ally, New Orleans, LA

Alex Martinez Wallace, Actor, New Orleans, LA

Alejandro Mena, WWII Documentary-Filmmaker Historian, Dallas, TX

Alfreda B., Ally, New Orleans, LA

Amanda McCarthy, Ally, New Orleans

Ardan Thornhill, Ally, New Orleans

Aryn Bernard, Ally, New Orleans

Asia-Lyn James, Ally, New Orleans

Ashley Osbourn, Ally, Hammond, LA

Audrey, Ally, New Orleans, LA

Becka McLaughlin, Event Producer, New Orleans, LA

Bob, Ally, New Orleans, LA

Brandi Lena Turland, Activist, New Orleans, LA

Brian Jarreau, Activist, New Orleans, LA

Britt, Activist, Dallas, TX

Brittany N. Williams, New Orleans, LA

Camille DeCoursey, Ally, New Orleans, LA

Carson Martinez, Ally, New Orleans, LA

Cat, Ally, New Orleans, LA

Christian Collins, Ally, New Orleans, LA

Christopher Grim, Artist, Denver, CO

Claire, Artist, Los Angeles, CA

Claudia A, Ally, New Orleans, LA

Cooper Maria Dougherty, Ally, Arlington, VA

Corinne Guillot, Ally, New Orleans, LA

Danny Shelvin, Ally, New York, NY

Elise, Artist, New Orleans, LA

Emily Bonenfant, Ally, New Orleans, LA

Erin Crowley, Technical Director, New Orleans, LA

Erin Routh Smith, Artist, New Orleans, LA

Garrison, Small Business Owner, Colorado

Hannah St. Amant, Ally, New Orleans, LA

Hannah Truckenbrod, Ally, Aurora, IL

Irene Galo, Activist, Metairie, LA

Jack Searcy, Ally, Museum Professional, Historian, New Orleans, LA

Jessica Mixon, Artist, Activist, New Orleans, LA

Joaquin Emiliano, Writer, New Orleans

John Marx, Theatre Technician, New Orleans, LA

Jonah M. Weston, Activist, Actor, Director, Ally, South Pasadena, FL

JScott, Ally, New Orleans

Julia Fleckman, Ally, New Orleans

Julie Condy, Artist, Metairie, LA

Julie Wischan, Educator, New Orleans, LA

Karen Hebert, Artist - Former Ballerina with the American Ballet, New Orleans, LA

Kate Kuen, Artist, New Orleans, LA

Katie Odell, Ally, New Orleans

Kylee McIntyre, Ally, Singapore

K. Mancine, Artist and Ally, New Orleans, LA

Leslie Runnels, Artist, Louisiana

Lori Atkinson, Community Stakeholder, New Orleans, LA

Maddie Foret, Activist, Westwego, LA

Maggie Windler, Ally, Eugene, OR

Margo Hera, Artist, New Orleans

Mary C., Ally, New Orleans

Matt Stanley, Ally, Artist, Berkley, CA

Mazie Stewart, Artist, Gretna, LA

Megan, Attorney, New Orleans, LA

Michael McKelvey, Artist, New Orleans, LA

Michael Pajon, Artist, New Orleans, LA

MJ Gaudet, Ally, New Orleans, LA

Monica R. Harris, Artist, New Orleans, LA

Naj Jackson, Artist, New Orleans, LA

Nicholas, Ally, Winter Garden, FL

Olivia Ros, Artist and Ally, New York

Rachel Abbate, Ally, Destrehan, LA

Rachel Looney, Artist, New Orleans, LA

Reid Williams, Actor, New Orleans, LA

Richard A. Adams, Co Lead Elder, NE Elder Society, ManKind Project, Greenfield, MA

Richard Hutton, Ally, New Orleans, LA

SEOS: A Production Company, Community Theater, New Orleans, LA

Shawn Kelly, Program Manager, New Orleans, LA

Shelley Dall, Activist, Metairie, LA

Sherri Marina, Artist, New Orleans, LA

Stephanie M., Educator, Nashville, TN

Taylor Ott, Artist, New Orleans, LA

Tiffany, Artist, Los Angeles, CA

Tiffany Vega-Gibson , Arts Management Consultant, New Orleans, LA

Trindad Pena, Ally, New Orleans, LA

WD Humphreys, New Orleans, LA

Wendy Russell, Ally, Portland, OR