Nancy Yao was to lead a Smithsonian museum about the influence of American women. Her withdrawal came amid a review of how she had handled sexual harassment complaints in an earlier post.
Restitution efforts were underway, fueled by news that a museum was being planned in Nigeria to house the treasures. Then a surprising announcement sowed uncertainty.
Prodded by law enforcement, and pushed by foreign governments, American museums are increasingly returning artifacts to countries of origin, but critics wonder at what cost.
Serena and Venus Williams and Ava DuVernay, and the artists who portrayed them, talk about their choices, which will be on view at the National Portrait Gallery.