U.S. History

Why Eleanor Roosevelt Visited Active War Zones During WWII

Eleanor Roosevelt's war time travels to support U.S. soldiers were considerable: in the Pacific theater, she would meet with 400,000 troops

The Fuzzy History of the Georgia Peach

Once a feral resource for planters, the stone fruit got a marketing makeover in the late 19th century—and a boost from the segregated labor market

The Devastating 1926 Hurricane that Halted the Growth of Miami

In 1926, the Miami economy was soaring, fueled by wealthy northerners attracted to the tropical climate and beaches

Bomb Threats Didn't Stop Lady Bird's Fight for Civil Rights

Lady Bird Johnson was a committed supporter of the Civil Rights Movement, in word and deed, touring the country to speak against racism

Charles Lindbergh and the Rise of 1940s Nazi Sympathizers

Charles Lindbergh may have been known as a legendary pilot, but he had another, more sinister position in American History: as a Nazi sympathizer

Jenks' mice, preserved at Harvard in alcohol in a 12-inch tall glass jar, are each tagged with critical information.

A Scholar Follows a Trail of Dead Mice and Discovers a Lesson in Why Museum Collections Matter

A former Smithsonian curator authors a new book, <i>Inside the Lost Museum</i>

Kim Novak and Sammy Davis Jr.'s relationship endangered both of their careers.

Hollywood Loved Sammy Davis Jr. Until He Dated a White Movie Star

A decade before the Supreme Court ruled in favor of interracial marriage, the Rat Packer risked losing his career—and his life

How Betty Ford's Surprising Progressivism Inspired Millions

Despite being thrust into the role of first lady with no warning, Betty Ford will be remembered as one of the most independent first ladies we've ever had

U.S. senators Ben Nighthorse Campbell, dressed in ceremonial Northern Cheyenne regalia, and Daniel K. Inouye, a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, stand with Native American Vietnam veterans during the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian in 2004.

A New Memorial Will Soon Honor the Heroism of Native American Veterans

For design ideas and funding, the National Museum of the American Indian turns to its community

Did a Nazi Submarine Attack a Chemical Plant in North Carolina?

Multiple eyewitnesses say that one night in 1943, their calm, quiet beach briefly became a war zone

While presidents have the power to pardon, their decision to use it isn't always popular. Just look at this anti-Ford button made in response to his pardoning of Richard Nixon.

History of Now

A Brief History of Presidential Pardons

The power bestowed upon the chief executive to excuse past misdeeds has involved a number of famous Americans

This summer, Smithsonian reporters took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Freer Gallery and shot exclusive photographs of the building in its preparatory state.

Take an Exclusive Sneak Peek Inside the Renovated Freer Gallery, Reopening in October

Charles Lang Freer gifted this meditative haven for art lovers to the nation and was James McNeill Whistler's friend and patron

Highly social, narwhals travel in pods, often broken off by sex, and communicate via complex vocalizations that seem to be specific to their herds.

Does the Narwhal's Majestic Tusk Have a Point?

A Connecticut dentist, turned curator of a new exhibition, has long worked to solve the secrets of the whale's characteristic horn

The Secret Ingredient in Kellogg’s Corn Flakes Is Seventh-Day Adventism

America’s favorite processed breakfast was once the pinnacle of healthfulness—and spiritual purity

The moment of impact when the trains exploded. Later, members of the audience rushed forward to collect pieces of the smoldering ruin.

A Train Company Crashed Two Trains. You Will Believe What Happened Next

When a Texas railway agent came up with a new marketing scheme, he had no idea how explosive it would be

Firemen fight to control blazing buildings in Detroit on July 25, 1967. The city was filled with gunfire, looting and police officers for five days that July.

Understanding Detroit’s 1967 Upheaval 50 Years Later

For five days in July, the Motor City was under siege from looters and soldiers alike

Why Hospitals Started Displaying Newborn Babies Through Windows

How peering at babies through glass became a feel-good staple of American maternity wards

Opening of Sears Department Store

The Rise and Fall of Sears

How the retail store that taught America how to shop navigated more than a century of economic and cultural change

The First Presidential Wife to Be Called the First Lady

Dolley Madison, the First Lady of president James Madison was a Jackie Kennedy of her time

How the Gains Women Made in WWI Were Quickly Lost

In the early 20th century, 96% of all jobs on the U.S. rail network were male. But by the start of WWI, it fell on women to fill in for them

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