American Presidents
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After an Inauguration, the Stars Come out to Play
Ever since George Washington danced after his inauguration, the ceremony has brought big names in the arts to the capital city
January 13, 2009 |
By Katy June-Friesen
Behind Inaugural Speeches, Meaningful Words
What words do presidents focus on most in their inaugural addresses? Explore speeches, from Washington to Obama
January 05, 2009 |
By Mark Strauss and Brian Wolly
Frost, Nixon and Me
Author James Reston Jr. discovers firsthand what is gained and lost when history is turned into entertainment
January 2009 |
By James Reston Jr.
Lincoln as Commander in Chief
A self-taught strategist with no combat experience, Abraham Lincoln saw the path to victory more clearly than his generals
January 2009 |
By James M. McPherson
Inaugural Firsts
When was the first inaugural parade? Who had the longest inaugural address? A look at presidential inaugurations through time
December 17, 2008 |
By Brian Wolly
44 Years Later, a Washington, D.C. Death Unresolved
Mary Pinchot Meyer's death remains a mystery. But it's her life that holds more interest now
December 2008 |
By Lance Morrow
Gettysburg Address Displayed at Smithsonian
Lincoln's timeless speech during the Civil War endures as a national treasure
December 2008 |
By Owen Edwards
Montpelier and the Legacy of James Madison
The recently restored Virginia estate of James Madison was home to a founding father and the ideals that shaped a nation
October 20, 2008 |
By Kenneth R. Fletcher
Ted Sorensen on Abraham Lincoln: A Man of His Words
Kennedy advisor Ted Sorensen found that of all the U.S. presidents, Lincoln had the best speechwriter—himself
October 2008 |
By Theodore C. Sorensen
Washington's Boyhood Home
Archaeologists have finally pinpointed the Virginia house where our first president came of age
September 2008 |
By David Zax
Lincoln-Douglas Debate Negotiations
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas engaged in pre-debate negotiations in 1858.
September 01, 2008 |
By Smithsonian.com
Digging Up George Washington
Archaeologists continue to uncover more about the nation's first president
September 01, 2008 |
By Amanda Bensen
How Lincoln Bested Douglas in Their Famous Debates
The 1858 debates reframed America's argument about slavery and transformed Lincoln into a presidential contender
September 2008 |
By Fergus M. Bordewich
The First “Teflon” Hero
What July 4th, 1754 reveals about George Washington’s survival skills
June 2008 |
By Kenneth C. Davis
Betty Ford's Tabled Resolution
Betty Ford had a what-the-hell moment—and an accomplice in photographer David Hume Kennerly
June 2008 |
By William Booth
The Unmaking of the President
Lyndon Johnson believed that his withdrawal from the 1968 presidential campaign would free him to solidify his legacy
April 2008 |
By Clay Risen
Portrait of the Kennedys
Never-before-published photographs reveal a personal side to the first family
October 26, 2007 |
By Nicole Wroten
The Kennedys: Portrait of a Family
An excerpt from the new book by Shannon Thomas Perich
October 26, 2007 |
By Shannon Thomas Perich
Washington & Lafayette
Almost inseparable in wartime, the two generals split over a vital question: Should revolutionary ideals be imposed on others?
September 2007 |
By James R. Gaines
