Some things are verifiably true. In honor of these things—traditionally known as “facts”—museums, libraries, and other cultural organizations are taking to social media today to share tidbits and truths under the hashtag #DayOfFacts.
In normal times, a hashtag like this would be little more than a collection of trivia. But these aren’t normal times. While #DayOfFacts professes to be nonpartisan, it’s an acknowledgement that faith in objective, verifiable truths is, incredibly, a political statement in America today.
Given the new reality, organizers asked institutions to consider the risks before participating. “We cannot promise that every participating institution will be free from any backlash, particularly if you receive grants or funding from U.S. federal sources,” the website reads. “If you are a federal employee, please be careful about participating while ‘on the clock’ as it may result in retaliation.”
Again, “participating” just means tweeting a scientific or historic fact.
Here’s a selection of tweets librarians and educators put themselves on the line to share.