The Smithsonian has denied reports that it is interested in acquiring the hoodie Florida teen Trayvon Martin wore when he was shot by George Zimmerman in February 2012.
In an interview with the Washington Post earlier this week, Lonnie Bunch of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, a new Smithsonian branch, was quoted as saying that they would be interested in adding the hoodie to the collection, since it is a vital part of the current discussion of race in America.
“It became the symbolic way to talk the Trayvon Martin case. It’s rare that you get one artifact that really becomes the symbol,” Bunch told the Post. “Because it’s such a symbol, it would allow you to talk about race in the age of Obama.”
Bunch added that the trial - which ended with Zimmerman being found not guilty - shows that America is not a ‘post-racial’ society.
Bunch’s interview lead to several reports that the Smithsonian was interested in acquiring the hoodie, which is currently being held as evidence by the Justice Department, reports ABC News. The Justice Department is currently investigating if Zimmerman was in violation of Martin’s civil rights.
This morning, the Smithsonian cleared up the reports with a statement on Facebook saying that it is not actively looking to acquire the hoodie. Even though it acknowledged the importance of artifacts from the Martin case, the institution said it would “have to go through that lengthy process” to acquire those items.
Here’s the full statement:
“Despite reports, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture is not currently seeking to add Trayvon Martin’s hoodie to its collection. We recognize that certain items related to the Trayvon Martin trial could one day have historical value and provide a way to study and discuss race in America. Acquiring any object for our museum involves rigorous consultation with a team of museum historians and curators. Any items connected to the Trayvon Martin case – should they even become available – would have to go through that lengthy process.”
image: Facebook