​Fatigued by years of a brutal civil war, divided by racial and economic strife, and fearful that immigrants were coming to take workers’ jobs, the US’s long-term prospects were far from assured in 1867. In that contentious and chaotic environment, Frederick Douglass gave an impassioned speech in Boston about “our composite nation,” arguing for the virtue of a pluralistic United States. He wisely observed: “Trust is the foundation of society. Where there is no truth, there can be no trust, and where there is no trust, there can be no society.”

We find ourselves in a similar trust crisis today, not just in the United States, but around the world. Global confidence in many institutions is at a historic low. In the US, many people have lost faith in the very pillars of American civic identity, such as the government, academia, corporations and the media. There is a sense that these institutions are inadequately responsive to the needs of many. Although 2017 showed a slight uptick in confidence in institutions, of the 14 measured in a recent Gallup poll, only three – the police, the military and small business – ranked higher than 50%.

​As we navigate a world marked by extreme income inequality, a declining middle class, and constant cries of “fake news,” it is high time to revisit the relationship between nonprofits and government, as well as the role of museums as educational institutions in a democratic society. In the past, the conversation about public education has largely focused on K-12 schools, while overlooking other critical public and nonprofit institutions such as museums and libraries. However, like our government, these institutions are pillars of our democratic society. Alas, museum operations often reflect the same values as our government in an increasingly disadvantageous way. And, part of the reason for this parallel is the common lack of diversity among political donors and nonprofit board members. More and more, the same people who foster undemocratic practices in government are also acting similarly on nonprofit boards.

As a nation, we have always recognized the importance of public education as a pillar of our democracy. Horace Mann, credited as the father of public education, famously said, “Education…is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, the balance-wheel of the social machinery.” The logic follows that with an equal academic foundation, all people will be equipped to sufficiently form and defend their values, the very basis of a democracy. Additionally, an equal education provides everyone with the same opportunities to succeed economically—in theory.