Lonnie Bunch is an American educator and historian who has been serving as the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution since June 2019 and is the first African American to head the Smithsonian. In 2020, he was elected to the American Philosophical Society.
Lonnie Bunch Biography
| Full Name | Lonnie Griffith Bunch III |
| Nickname | Lonnie Bunch |
| Profession | Educator and historian |
| Date of Birth | 18 November 1952 |
| Age | 73 years old (as of September 2026) |
| Birth Place | Newark, New Jersey, US |
| Nationality | American |
| School | Belleville High School in Belleville, New Jersey |
| College | Howard University American University in Washington, D.C. (transferred) |
| Education Qualification | He has a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in American and African-American history. |
| Gender | Male |
| Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Religion | Catholic |
Lonnie Bunch Age
Lonnie Bunch (Lonnie Griffith Bunch III) was born on November 18, 1952, in Newark, New Jersey, United States. He is 73 years old as of September 2026, and his zodiac sign is Scorpio.
Lonnie Bunch Wife, Daughters
| Marital Status | Married |
| Affairs/Girlfriend | Maria |
| Spouse/Wife | Maria Marable-Bunch |
| Children | Two daughters |
Lonnie Bunch Family
| Father’s Name | Lonnie Bunch II (a science and chemistry teacher) |
| Mother’s Name | Montrose Bunch (third-grade public school teacher) |
| Brother’s Name | One younger brother |
| Sister’s Name | None |
Career
| 1983 | Become first curator at California African American Museum |
| 1989 | Joined Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History |
| 2000 | Become president and director of Chicago History Museum |
| 2005 | Became founding director of NMAAHC |
| 2019 | Become 14th secretary of the Smithsonian Institute |
| 2020 | Elected to American Philosophical Society |
Lonnie Bunch Books
- 1989 – Vision Toward Tomorrow: The History of the East Bay Afro-American Community, 1852-1977, with Laurence P. and Martha Kendall Crouchette Winnaker
- 2009 – The Scurlock Studio and Black Washington: Picturing the Promise, with Donna M. Wells, David E. Haberstitch and Deborah Willis.
- 2010 – Call the Lost Dream Back: Essays on History, Race & Museums
- 2014 – Slave Culture: A Documentary Collection of the Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers projects with Spencer R. Crew and Clement.
- 2019 – A Fool’s Errand: Creating the National Museum of African American History and Culture in the age of Bush, Obama, and Trump, with Lonnie G.
Lonnie Bunch Height And Weight
| Height (Approx) | In centimeters – 180 cm In meters – 1.80 m In feet & inches – 5’11” |
| Weight (Approx) | In kilograms – 85 kg In pounds – 187 lbs |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black and white |
Lonnie Bunch Net Worth
American educator and historian Lonnie Bunch has an estimated net worth of around $5 million, as of September 2026. His primary income comes from his salary as the Secretary of the Smithsonian, reported to be between $500,000 and $600,000 annually. He also earns income from book sales and speaking engagements.
| Net Worth (Approx) | $5 million (as of September 2026) |
| Annual Income (Approx) | Not known |
| Salary (Approx) | $500,000 to $600,000, (annual, as Smithsonian secretary) |
| Real estate | Not publicly known |
| Income Sources | Salary, book sales, speaking engagement, etc. |
Some Interesting Facts About Lonnie Bunch
- Lonnie Bunch was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, to Lonnie Bunch II and Montrose Buch.
- His father was a science and chemistry teacher at a public school, while his mother was a third-grade teacher at the same school.
- His parents are both graduates of Shaw University, one of the oldest HBCUs in the South.
- His grandfather, a former sharecropper, moved into the area as one of the first black dentists in the region.
- As a child, he experienced racism from white teenagers in his neighborhood.
- He graduated from Belleville High School in Belleville, New Jersey, in 1970.
- He earned his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in American and African-American history from American University in Washington.
- He began working at the Smithsonian Institution while completing his master’s degree.
- In his childhood, he wanted to give a voice to those who were “anonymous” or not written about.
- He worked at the National Museum of American History from 1989 until 1994 as curator.
- He was named the director of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
- He also served on the Commission for the Preservation of the White House during the George W. Bush administration.
- On May 28, 2019, Bunch was elected Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.
- On September 8, 2026, Bunch announced that he would retire as Secretary at the end of 2026.
- Lonnie Bunch met his wife, Maria Marable, in graduate school, and they have two daughters.
FAQ:
How old is Lonnie Bunch?
73 years old (As of September 2026)
Who is Lonnie Bunch’s wife?
Lonnie Bunch is married to Maria Marable Bunch.
What is Lonnie Bunch’s net worth?
As of September 2026, Lonnie Bunch’s net worth is around $5 million.