A Fool’s Errand, a Book by Secretary Lonnie Bunch III
By C. Naseer Ahmad
Washington, DC

The book “A Fool’s Errand” by Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III has been on my bookshelf for a while. It occupies an important place on the bookshelf as a reminder to keep focus on one’s goal regardless of one’s age – a baby boomer, gen X or gen Z.

It is useful to pick up the book, especially in the moments when inspiration is desperately needed, like a jolt from a double espresso. While reading the book, my mind instantly is transported to a memorable evening at the official residence of the Ambassador of Switzerland in Washington, DC. The stories in the book rekindle the memories of a special evening when Ambassador Jacques Pitteloud and his wonderful wife Angelique invited Secretary Bunch to talk about his book at the National Museum of African American History and Culture situated on the National Mall, Washington DC.

There are many inspiring things that the readers will find in this book. In vivid detail the author describes the struggles he faced and the challenges he overcame in making the National Museum for African American History and Culture a reality. The museum is a magnificent monument to the story of African Americans in the United States. Before the museum was erected it was an empty lot - a green space on the mall near the Washington monument but now visitors can see for themselves and visualize the struggles that the African Americans faced. The fruitful efforts of Secretary Bunch and his team made them speak for themselves every day and to everyone who visits.

The creation of a new museum is a monumental struggle which involves collecting artifacts of historical nature and getting the funding for the project. In his book, Secretary described the humble beginnings of the project like getting an office to start the project and then having to break into his own office. For example, he narrates being told something like: “We never heard of you, and we cannot provide you access to the suite.”

Imagine that if Secretary Bunch had given in to such obstacles, would there ever be a Museum of African American History and Culture? There might still be that empty space on the National Mall in downtown Washington. With creative thinking, a steely resolve and taking advantage of the opportunities that came along Secretary Bunch succeeded.

The book will be useful to anyone who is beginning to harbor doubts about embarking on a journey or pursuing personal ambitions, at any age. The reader will travel with Secretary Bunch around the world and get a sense of the efforts put into the creation of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The “Designing a Dream,” begins with a quote from Robert Frost’s poem: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, And that made all the difference.” For those pursuing dreams that sometimes seem elusive, there is a lot of food for thought and ideas to formulate a checklist.

The book describes Secretary Bunch’s visit to Mozambique to pay respect to the descendants of Mukhawan people whose enslaved ancestors perished in the ship Sao Jose that sank near Cape Town, South Africa. In Mozambique, he met with the chief of the Mukhawan people who had a gift – dust, encased in a white bowl like vessel, encrusted with cowrie shells - for Secretary Bunch. The following is one of the most moving pieces of the story: “Addressing the gather, he (the Mukhawan Chief) said that his ancestors have asked for my help. The ancestors wanted me to take the soil back to Cape Town and sprinkle it over the wreck of Sao Jose so that his ‘people can sleep in their homeland for the first time since 1794.’ I was overwhelmed by the responsibility. I knew I would fulfill his request.”

One of the astounding discoveries about the reader will come to know is how the enslaved preacher and rebel Nat Turner’s bible was gifted by the descendants of the Francis family – slave owners of the plantation in the path of Nat Turner’s rebellion.

Whenever I come across Page 113 of this wonderful book, my mind takes me to the memorable night at Ambassador Pitteloud’s residence when Secretary Bunch described in such a vivid manner his meeting with Mamie Till Mobley and donation of Emmett Till’s casket. He expressed his reservations about accepting the casket but decided to do so as a matter of respect to the brutally murdered young Emmett Till and his grieving yet still very strong mother. “I wanted to make sure this history would be preserved,” said Secretary Bunch.

If the book tells you anything, one’s ambitions and goals would never be a fool’s errand, if you possess the tenacity, the imagination and the discipline which are the foundations stones of the National Museum of African American History and Culture - the culmination of the exemplary work by Secretary Bunch and his team.