Black History
Show Time at the Apollo
A stellar roster of African-American singers, dancers and comedians got their start at the venue, celebrating its 75-year history
November 2010 |
By Lucinda Moore
Maurice Hines on the Legacy of the Apollo Theater
The legendary dancer talks about starting his career in Harlem and his upcoming Sammy Davis Jr. project
November 01, 2010 |
By Lucinda Moore
Writing New Chapters of African American History Through The Kinsey Collection
Bernard and Shirley Kinsey have been married 44 years. Since Bernard's retirement in 1991 from the Xerox corporation, the couple has traveled extensively, collecting art from around the world. But in an effort to uncover their own family history, the Kinseys began to delve into African American his...
October 13, 2010 |
By Jess Righthand
Learning About the Moores of Mims With NMAAHC Curator John Franklin
"I first heard about the Moores of Mims in the song," says John Franklin, director of partnerships and international programs at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.It seems I hear Harry Moorefrom the earth his voice still cries:"No bomb can kill the dreams I hold, for freed...
October 06, 2010 |
By Megan Gambino
How The Green Book Aided African American Motorists
In the 1930s as automobiles became a fixture in American culture, millions of people took to the roads, causing hotels, restaurants and other roadside entertainment to flourish. But for African Americans, hopping in a car and taking a road trip was no simple endeavor. Having to contend with wide-sp...
September 14, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
The Great Escape From Slavery of Ellen and William Craft
Passing as a white man traveling with his servant, two slaves fled their masters in a thrilling tale of deception and intrigue
June 17, 2010 |
By Marian Smith Holmes
A Year of Hope for Joplin and Johnson
In 1910, the boxer Jack Johnson and the musician Scott Joplin embodied a new sense of possibility for African-Americans
June 2010 |
By Michael Walsh
The History Behind a Slave's Bill of Sale
On a worn, aged piece of paper dated 1835, a judge describes the details of his sale: a 16-year-old girl named Polly, with "yellow complexion and black eyes," the sale and purchase of whom the judge says he will warrant and defend "at all cost."The Bill of Sale, as documents like this became known,...
May 24, 2010 |
By Erica R. Hendry
Muhammad Ali's Gear Headed to the Permanent Collections
It was 1964, and the famous heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali was preparing for one of his biggest fights: the battle against then-world heavyweight champion Sonny Liston.Liston was clearly the favored fighter. He held 7 to 1 odds against Ali, still known by his given name, Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr...
May 20, 2010 |
By Erica R. Hendry
The Soul of Memphis
Despite setbacks, the Mississippi River city has held onto its rollicking blues joints, smokin' barbecue and welcoming, can-do spirit
May 2010 |
By Jamie Katz
The Apollo Theater Hits the Smithsonian Stage
Named for the Greek god of music, New York's Apollo Theater has been a pantheon of American talent for almost 100 years. Built in 1914 in the heart of Harlem, the theater rose to prominence in the mid-1930s as a showcase for African American performers, offering aspiring artists a springboard to br...
April 23, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
JAM: Jazz Appreciation Month at Smithsonian
Jazz Appreciation Month is in full swing Around the Mall and Beyond! Check out a schedule of upcoming events below or download a PDF for additional information.Tuesday, April 6CONCERTAn Evening with Jon Hendricks. James Zimmerman, Emcee7:30 pm, Howard University, Andrew Rankin Memorial ChapelWedn...
April 06, 2010 |
By Jamie Simon
Harriet Tubman Artifacts Donated to the Smithsonian
The last time Harriet Tubman heard the African American spiritual, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," was in the final hours of her life, as friends and family gathered around her and sang the song to "carry her home."Tubman (1822- 1913), an African American abolitionist and humanitarian who guided dozens...
March 11, 2010 |
By Erica R. Hendry
Courage at the Greensboro Lunch Counter
Fifty years ago, four college students sat down to request lunch service at a North Carolina Woolworth's and ignited a struggle
February 2010 |
By Owen Edwards
The Scurlock Studio: Picture of Prosperity
For more than half a century the Scurlock Studio chronicled the rise of Washington's black middle class
February 2010 |
By David Zax
The Changing Definition of African-American
How the great influx of people from Africa and the Caribbean since 1965 is challenging what it means to be African-American
February 2010 |
By Ira Berlin
Henrietta Lacks’ ‘Immortal’ Cells
Journalist Rebecca Skloot’s new book investigates how a poor black tobacco farmer had a groundbreaking impact on modern medicine
January 22, 2010 |
By Sarah Zielinski
Emmett Till's Casket Goes to the Smithsonian
Simeon Wright recalls the events surrounding his cousin's murder and the importance of having the casket on public display
November 2009 |
By Abby Callard
Motown Turns 50
For years, the recording industry excluded black artists. Along came Motown, and suddenly everyone was singing its tunes
September 29, 2009 |
By Marian Smith Holmes
Dancing Around Abraham Lincoln
Bill T. Jones, one of America’s foremost living choreographers, tackles Lincoln’s complicated legacy in his newest work
September 11, 2009 |
By Rebecca Milzoff
