Justice Thomas says Smithsonian exhibit on him wrong

Clarence Thomas, an associate Supreme Court justice, has an exhibit dedicated to him in the Smithsonian’s African American Museum. But it’s, well, fake. “People can say things about you and for you that has nothing to do with you,” he said. Clarence Thomas to Smithsonian Rubenstein: “Student who visited African American Museum told me exhibit […]

Published June 10, 2019 2:36pm EST | Updated December 22, 2023 6:31am EST



Clarence Thomas, an associate Supreme Court justice, has an exhibit dedicated to him in the Smithsonian’s African American Museum. But it’s, well, fake.

“People can say things about you and for you that has nothing to do with you,” he said.

Take the exhibit. He said he met with some students who had visited the museum. “They said the exhibit said that my views on affirmative action result from my going to various schools in my youth. And the young woman, the young student said, ‘Well is that true?’ I said, ‘No.’ They said, ‘Well, did they talk to you before they put that exhibit up?’ I said, ‘Nope.’ They said, ‘Have you ever seen it?’ I said, ‘Nope, never seen it, I have no idea where that came from.’”

Fortunately for Thomas, his comments came in a talk with philanthropist and Smithsonian Chairman David Rubenstein who said, “I’d like to invite you to come and tell us how we can fix this.”

He added, “We’ll fix it.”