Entertainment

Sesame Street & Julia

Why the Team Behind Sesame Street Created a Character With Autism

The bravest new face on television is a Muppet that doesn’t say much. But she speaks volumes about life on the spectrum

Ava DuVernay

Ava DuVernay's Visionary Filmmaking Is Reshaping Hollywood

Her eye for American history puts her in the vanguard. Her passion for justice makes her a hero

Members of the chorus sing their parts in a performance of Antigone in Ferguson at Normandy High School in St. Louis.

The Healing Power of Greek Tragedy

Do plays written centuries ago have the power to heal modern day traumas? A new project raises the curtain on a daring new experiment

BBC's "Downton Abbey" is one of the rare aspects of popular culture to show the grim costs of the 1918 flu pandemic.

Why Did So Few Novels Tackle the 1918 Pandemic?

Surprisingly few U.S. writers touched by the 1918 pandemic wrote about it. But flu lit appears more popular today than ever

Why Hedy Lamarr Was Hollywood’s Secret Weapon

The starlet patented an ingenious technology to help with the war effort, but it went unrecognized for decades

In a still from the documentary, Michael Zahs screens one of the early films against a barn in Iowa.

Thought Lost to History, These Rare, Early Films Survived Thanks to a Crafty Showman and a Savvy Collector

A new documentary focuses on the incredible story of Frank Brinton

Bullwinkle J. Moose. © Jay Ward Productions

How Bullwinkle Taught Kids Sophisticated Political Satire

Culture critic Beth Daniels argues the cartoon moose even allowed viewers to reckon with nuclear war

Old West, as seen through 1967 Orange County eyes

The Wild West of Knott's Berry Farm Is More Fantasy Than Reality

A critic of government welfare, the theme park's Walter Knott built the first “Old West” town as a shrine to rugged individualism

What is it about cheap eats, long hours, counters, and booths that so consistently captures the American imagination?

The Mystique of the American Diner, From Jack Kerouac to “Twin Peaks”

Freedom, fear and friendliness mingle in these emblematic eateries

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Thirty million TV viewers watched Fonzie water-ski while wearing his leather jacket.

Why 'Happy Days' — and the Fonz — Never Truly 'Jumped the Shark'

The Fonz was the epitome of ’50s chill on TV’s family-friendly “Happy Days.” And then he went over the top

Typical of tiki bar serving ware were these ceramic mugs, now held in the collections of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

There's More to Classic Tiki Than Just Kitsch

Bartender Martin Cate reveals eight fun facts about the past, present and future of tiki culture

Visit the Real-Life Winterfell Castle for a 'Game of Thrones' Festival

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 Colorized Historical Footage Is Painstakingly Made

Composite Films conducted 5,800 hours of research and poured over 27 miles of film to create our series America in Color

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

The fairground ride parallels a medieval training game for mounted fighters.

The Dizzy History of Carousels Begins With Knights

Practice makes perfect–but nobody said it couldn't be fun

Marlene Dietrich by Paul Cwojdzinski on the SS Europa, 1933, Cherbourg, France, 1933

The Pioneering Androgyny of Classic Hollywood Star Marlene Dietrich

The film icon embraced bisexuality, glamorous mystique and provocation

Moby Dick (1956), Antonio Fernández Reboiro
, Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (ICAIC), 1968


The Cuban Government Brought New Life to Hollywood Movies With These Vivid Posters

The U.S. embargo didn’t keep Cubans from watching movies they loved

The View From the Big Top

Aerialist and this year's Folklife Festival performer Dolly Jacobs didn't have to run away to join the circus; she lived it

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