National Museum of American History

DACA graduation robe

Reflecting on the Ten Year Anniversary of DACA

Three undocumented organizers share their reflections from inside the movement

Poppies Washington Monument

Before Memorial Day, Learn the Language of Flowers

It may not seem like it, but floral symbolism and military history are deeply connected

Big_Band_web_0.jpg

Meet the Titans of Jazz

We're here to help you put jazz history's names and faces together—and just in time for Jazz Appreciation Month

3_FrankandElla.jpg

Ella at the Gala

The Ella Fitzgerald Papers reveal a surprising connection between Fitzgerald and the Kennedy Inauguration

100 trillion dollar note

Understanding Hyperinflation, From Revolutionary France to Zimbabwe

The development of paper money is key to understanding hyperinflation throughout history

Lousian Mamer

What Do Refrigerators Have to Do With Women's Empowerment?

For rural women in the mid-1900s, one force for change was an organization that few today would think of: the Rural Electrification Administration

Anti-suffrage pennant

Why a Social Activist Opposed Woman Suffrage

The right to vote, insisted some women, would undermine their efforts to promote the public good

Ruth Bader Ginsburg at a Smithsonian event.

Join the Smithsonian to Honor Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Celebrate Women's History Month with Oprah Winfrey, John Roberts, Gloria Steinem, and more in this incredible virtual program

Johnson Card 1.jpg

Jack Johnson, the First Black Heavyweight Boxing Champion

During Johnson's reign, promoters sought a "Great White Hope" to defeat the flamboyant champion, and his victories were often marred by racial discord

Sioux Village.jpg

Where Black and Indigenous History Come Together

Minnesota doesn’t typically come to mind when you think about slavery and the Civil War.

Caramelo Deportivo album cover

The Card Collection That Blurred Baseball's Color Line

In the pages of this album, players from Latin American Leagues, the Negro Leagues, and Major League Baseball appear alongside each other

Portrait of Madam C. J. Walker, taken in 1915.

How Madam C.J. Walker Changed Philanthropy

Walker challenged the accumulation-of-wealth model of philanthropy, which postpones giving until the twilight years of life

Convertible.jpg

The 'Green Book' Became an Atlas of Self-Reliance for Black Motorists

For black Americans, the central paradox of the American automobile age was that it occurred in the middle of the Jim Crow era

MadamCJWalker.jpg

Celebrate Black History Month With These Virtual Events

The National Museum of American History offers plenty of ways to celebrate Black history from the comfort of your home

Stop the Steal sign.jpg

Collecting In the Wake of January 6

On January 7, Smithsonian curator Frank Blazich spent hours surveying the National Mall collecting abandoned objects. But that was only the first part of the story.

GA.12195_East African Express_Ed.jpg

Illustrating the Teddy Roosevelt Africa Expedition

In 1909, President Teddy Roosevelt decided to travel to Africa with naturalists to collect specimens for the Smithsonian

1986.0180.01-07_After-Treatment.jpg

Conserving Pieces of the History of Uncle Tom's Cabin

Go behind the scenes in the conservation lab as a conservator uncovers the hidden story of a series of painted panels

LOC_LC-B811-3443.jpg

Bringing the Forgotten History of Black Firefighting to Life

Volunteer firefighters represented a potent swirl of masculinity, self-sacrifice, and republican virtue. But Philadelphia had no Black companies.

Kids Eating Circa 1982, Loza.jpg

The Workers' Turkey

Like many homes across America, in my home Thanksgiving meant turkey. Lots of turkeys. And employers gave out these big birds as work incentives, to ensure that their working-class employees wouldn't go without this crown jewel on their table.

Demo kitchen.png

Reviving Indigenous Food Cultures

Hyperlocal, ultraseasonal, uber-healthy, and utterly delicious

Categories
Archive

Page 4 of 7