Would You Wear a Wedding Dress Made of Disposable Paper? These 1960s Brides Donned Them to Save Money—and Make a Daring Fashion Statement
Created with synthetic textiles, the “nonwoven” gowns could be shortened for the reception or easily packed away for the honeymoon
He Went Out to Catch Fish in Lake Michigan—and Discovered a 102-Year-Old Shipwreck Instead
Angler Christopher Thuss stumbled upon the scuttled tugboat “J.C. Ames,” which was located just nine feet below the surface off the coast of Manitowoc, Wisconsin
These Trailblazing Black Paramedics Are the Reason You Don’t Have to Ride a Hearse or a Police Van to the Hospital
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Freedom House Ambulance Service set the standard for emergency medical care, laying the groundwork for the services available today
Harvard Bought This Stained Copy of the Magna Carta for $27.50. It Turned Out to Be an Original
Issued by Edward I in 1300, this version of the historic text is one of only seven known surviving copies. It’s been hiding in plain sight in Harvard Law School’s library since 1946
What Happened to FDR’s Fireside Chats? And More Questions From Our Readers
You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts
American Schools Have Been Feeding Children for More Than 100 Years. Here’s How the School Lunch Has Changed
A new exhibition in Philadelphia explores how nutritional science, technological advances and political debates shaped the foods on schoolchildren’s trays
How the Thirteen Colonies Tried—and Failed—to Convince Canada to Side With Them During the American Revolution
After peaceful attempts at alliance-building stalled, the Continental Army launched an ill-fated invasion of Quebec in June 1775
Trailblazing Filmmaker Ava DuVernay Receives the Smithsonian’s Great Americans Medal
DuVernay is the first director, writer and producer to earn the honor, which recognizes “lifetime contributions embodying American ideas and ideals”
These Irreplaceable Yiddish Artifacts Would Have Been Lost to History If They Weren’t Evacuated to New York After World War II
The founding of a research institute 100 years ago has helped to provide insight on Yiddish culture in the United States and around the world
DNA Links Modern Picuris Pueblo Tribe to Ancestors Who Lived in Chaco Canyon Hundreds of Years Ago
Tribal leaders partnered with scientists to confirm their connection to the archaeological site in New Mexico
Spanish Shipwreck Reveals Evidence of Earliest Known Pet Cats to Arrive in the United States
The two felines—one adult, one juvenile—appear to have been cared for by the sailors before the vessel sank in a hurricane in 1559, according to a new study
Meet the Dedicated Volunteers Who Honor World War II’s Fallen American Service Members by Adopting Their Graves
Europe will commemorate the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s surrender on May 8. But thousands of locals remain committed to preserving year-round the memories of those killed while fighting to liberate the continent
The Only Black, All-Female Unit to Serve Overseas in World War II Receives the Congressional Gold Medal
The Six Triple Eight cleared a years-long backlog of mail in just three months. Eighty years later, the unit is finally getting the recognition it deserves
He Boarded the Titanic, Then Wrote a Letter: ‘It Is a Fine Ship, But I Shall Await My Journey’s End Before I Pass Judgment’
First-class passenger Archibald Gracie wrote the missive shortly after settling into his cabin on the doomed vessel. It just sold at auction for nearly $400,000
When a Historian Saw This Haunting Photograph of a Nameless Native Girl, She Decided She Had to Identify Her
In 1868, Sophie Mousseau was photographed at Fort Laramie alongside six white Army officers. But her identity—and her life story—remained unknown for more than a century
See the Colorful Flags That the Patriots Unfurled as They Fought in the American Revolution
At the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, a new exhibition has gathered together 17 historic flags that served as symbols of liberty
A Gold Watch That Belonged to Astronaut Neil Armstrong Sold for $2.1 Million at Auction
The commemorative timepiece is similar to the one that Armstrong and other NASA astronauts wore in space
Chattanooga Just Became North America’s First National Park City. Here’s What That Means
The designation was awarded by a London-based charity that aims to make cities more like national parks: “greener, healthier and wilder”
The Controversial History of the Word ‘Hillbilly,’ Which Was First Defined in Print 125 Years Ago
In 1900, a political writer described the “hill-billie” as someone who “talks as he pleases, drinks whiskey when he gets it and fires off his revolver as the fancy takes him.” Since then, the label has been used in both mockery and pride
Unraveling the Colorful History of Why Girls Wear Pink and Boys Wear Blue
Children used to wear the same white dresses, regardless of gender. But clothing styles and color preferences shifted in the mid-20th century
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