Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian and founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, discusses the persistent gap between America’s ideals and its reality for Black Americans. Reflecting on the murder of George Floyd and the history of racial violence, Bunch argues that systemic inequities in health, housing, and incarceration constitute the “long marathon” of injustice that requires a collective, strategic response rather than temporary protest. He emphasizes that Black-Jewish cooperation is vital because both communities face common enemies in white supremacy, noting that “collective ownership” of the struggle for justice is the only path toward profound national transformation.
