History / Video

Conversations in Context: Marches

On July 28, 1917, about 10,000 Black men, women, and children marched silently down Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue in one of the very first civil rights protests. Learn how, through marching …

Conversations in Context: Memory

History was never meant to be permanent; our understanding of what really happened should evolve over time. Join MTV News host Dometi Pongo and Secretary of the Smithsonian Lonnie G. …

How PT Boats Helped General MacArthur Escape Capture

In 1942, the Japanese were bearing down on the Philippines, where General Douglas MacArthur was based. To help him escape, the Navy relied on a small but heavily armed class …

Bringing Classified Nuclear Test Footage to the Public

Greg Spriggs and Jim Moye are on a mission: to declassify all valuable film footage that exists of every U.S. nuclear test ever conducted.

History in Context: The Impact of MLK’s Assassination

Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, on how MLK’s assassination affected all Americans and how the civil rights leader ultimately embodied of the best of our nation.

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch on the History of Protest in America

This episode of “Conversations in Context,” an interview series with Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, examines key movements in black history, from Civil-Rights-era protests like the Greensboro sit-in …

What Made the Viking Longship So Terrifyingly Effective

The Vikings had dreams of exploration and conquest, and the longship was ideal for that purpose. Soon, they were able to venture as far as the Mediterranean and the Middle …

How Conservative Groups’ Protest Led to an Era of Hollywood Censorship

It’s 1933 and Mae West is just arriving at Grauman’s Chinese Theater for the premiere of I’m No Angel. It draws fans from all over the country—as well as an …

Princess Margaret’s Scandalous Engagement to Peter Townsend

In April 1953, a decorated former RAF officer named Peter Townsend caused a stir by proposing to Princess Margaret, who was 15 years his junior. Townsend was also a commoner …

What It Took to Recreate a Portrait of Thomas Jefferson

Television reporter Shannon LaNier is a direct descendant of the third President of the United States. (Credit: Drew Gardner)

In Conversation: The Descendants of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Frederick Douglass

The two discussed their ancestors’ legacy more than 150 years after the famous figures both attended the Seneca Falls Convention. (Credit: Drew Gardner)

What It Took to Recreate a Portrait of Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Through painstaking work, photographer Drew Gardner transformed Elizabeth Jenkins-Sahlin into her ancestor, a famous women’s rights activist. (Credit: Drew Gardner)

What It Took to Recreate a Portrait of Frederick Douglass

Kenneth Morris is the great-great-great-grandson of the heralded abolitionist and helped compile an illustrated biography of his ancestor. (Credit: Drew Gardner)

King Tutankhamun Was Thought to Have a Direct Link to the Sun God

In life, the role of Tutankhamun was to ensure the worship of the god Ra, so that the sun would rise up in the sky. In death, that obligation continued …

This Ancient Egyptian Tomb Was Used for Two Different Burials

KV-64 is an ancient Egyptian royal tomb with a mystery. 500 years after it was sealed, it was re-opened and another occupant was added: the daughter of a high-ranking priest.

This FBI Agent Sold Secrets to the KGB for Years

In 1985, an American FBI agent began to sell intelligence to the Russians, under the alias of Ramon Garcia. It would be another 16 years before he was finally arrested …

How Henry Ford Found the Right Tires for Model T Cars

Henry Ford was a genius who virtually created the automobile industry as we know it. But what’s less lauded was his talent for publicity—and his ability to partner with other …

This 1947 Discovery Revolutionized Biblical History

In 1947, a group of Bedouins were exploring caves near the Dead Sea when they stumbled across an ancient set of copper scrolls that would cause a stir among Biblical …

This Ancient Iraqi Shrine Is a Window to the Story of Jonah

Beneath the shattered tomb of the prophet Jonah, in present day Iraq, lies a chamber of archaeological wonder and antiquity—a rare glimpse into the mysterious Assyrian empire.

Why the Two-Wheel Chariot Was So Effective in Ancient Battles

The two-wheel chariot was also a two-crew chariot: a driver handling the reins, and an archer unleashing a volley of arrows. Its speed and maneuverability made it the scourge of …

What Kind of Damage Can a Medieval War Hammer Do?

A contemporary weapons expert is about to test a medieval war hammer on a steel breastplate from that era. The aim is to find out how much damage this fearsome …

These Ancient Stone Troughs Contained an Unlikely Beverage

In the ancient ruins of Gobekli Tepe, in eastern Turkey, archaeologists have discovered 11,000-year-old stone troughs. What these troughs stored may surprise you

The Roman Wall That Split Britain Into Two Parts

Hadrian’s Wall was a 73 mile barrier stretching from coast to coast, splitting the warlike north of Britain from the more docile south. It was the Roman Empire’s way of …

The 1919 World Series Fix That Tarnished America’s Pastime

The Chicago White Sox were heavy favorites going into the 1919 World Series. But they were defeated by the Cincinnati Reds—and it soon became clear that the game was rigged.

How the Medieval Longbow Cut Down a French Army in 1346

The medieval English longbow first came to prominence during the Hundred Years War. In 1346, English forces used it to devastating effect to cut down a superior French army.

The Weird Thrills That Americans Pursued in the 1920s

In the 1920s, the U.S. was in full thrill-seeking mode. From horse-diving (you have to see it to believe it) to barnstorming. And at the center of many of these …

This German Explorer Held Electric Eels in His Bare Hands

Alexander von Humboldt was intrigued by deadly electric eels. He was so determined to learn more about them, that in Los Llanos, he’d hold them in his hands to test …

Humboldt’s Journey to Cumana Was Packed With Discovery

In 1799, Alexander von Humboldt set foot in the jungles of Cumana, in present-day Venezuela. What ensued was a detailed scientific mission to learn more about the natural world.

How Henry Ford Went From Pacifist to Major Supplier of WWI

Henry Ford spent the majority of the war as a pacifist. By 1917, however, his state-of-the-art assembly line was churning out vital engine parts to feed the war machine.

The Roman Pilum Was Unmatched as a Ranged Weapon

The pilum, a vital weapon in Rome’s imperial ambitions, was a simple iron spear fixed with two bolts onto a heavy wooden post. It was remarkably effective against an attacker …

This Pyramid Was Built to Honor a Highly Unusual Occupant

A newly discovered pyramid yields a baffling mystery: A royal tomb, usually reserved for kings, is found to contain a mystery woman. Who was she and why was she given …

This French Woman Risked Her Life to Document Nazi Theft

During the Nazi occupation of France, many valuable works of art were stolen from the Jeu de Paume museum and relocated to Germany. One brave French woman kept detailed notes …