2022 STars hall of fame

William S. Pretzer

Senior Curator, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution

Mariemont ES| Arden MS | Rio Americano HS

Dr. William Pretzer was Senior Curator of History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, where he served 2009 - 2023. He oversaw a team of curators and museum specialists and co-curated the landmark exhibition A Changing America: 1968 and Beyond for the museum’s historic opening on the National Mall in 2016.

Before joining the Smithsonian, Bill held leadership roles at Central Michigan University and spent over two decades as a curator and educator at The Henry Ford Museum. There, he helped secure and display the Rosa Parks bus and co-founded the Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school on the museum campus.

Throughout his career, Bill has served on local school boards and national advisory panels, including the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. He has authored numerous articles and book chapters on topics ranging from African American political history to public history in museums.

A proud graduate of the San Juan Unified School District, Bill holds a B.A. from Stanford University and a Ph.D. from Northern Illinois University.