Eli Steele Challenges Smithsonian Over $35,000 Private-Screening Offer for Race Documentary
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Oct 19
Eli Steele Challenges Smithsonian Over $35,000 Private-Screening Offer for Race Documentary
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 19
Summary
Late August outreach by Eli Steele to the National Museum of African American History and Culture led to a rejection of his two proposed public-screening dates for “White Guilt,” followed by no answer after he asked for alternatives.
A museum email instead offered Steele a private rental option priced at $35,000, according to correspondence he shared, while the museum did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Steele says the film questions whether white guilt and fear of racism charges have pushed institutions to favor racial identity over merit, and he argues the museum has screened other race-focused films such as “13th” and “Hidden Figures.”
Black conservative commentators Carol Swain and Jason Riley cast the episode as evidence of ideological gatekeeping, while economist Glenn Loury said the documentary would fit the museum’s mission by provoking debate across political lines.
The dispute lands as the Smithsonian faces pressure from President Donald Trump and other Republicans, who accuse it of promoting progressive history narratives and have threatened to curb federal support.