Leaders
Historical and modern luminaries in business, politics, the military and exploration
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
The Lasting Impact of a Civil Rights Icon's Murder
One of three civil rights workers murdered in Mississippi in 1964 was James Chaney. His younger brother would never be the same
December 2008 |
By Hank Klibanoff
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
Warhol's Pop Politics
Andy Warhol's political portraits anticipated today's blurred boundaries between public office and stardom
October 31, 2008 |
By Julia Ann Weekes
Colombia Dispatch 11: Former Bogota mayor Enrique Peñalosa
The former mayor of Colombia's capital city transformed Bogota with 'green' innovations that employed the poor and helped the environment
October 29, 2008 |
By Kenneth Fletcher
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
A Yankee in China
William Lindesay follows the trail of forgotten traveler, William Edgar Geil, the first man to traverse the Great Wall of China.
August 01, 2008 |
By Megan Gambino
Wonders and Whoppers
Following in Marco Polo's footsteps through Asia leads our intrepid author to some surprising conclusions
July 2008 |
By Mike Edwards
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
Interview with G. Wayne Clough
Smithsonian Institution's 12th Secretary discusses his new role, his distinguished career in education and his favorite artifact
May 01, 2008 |
By Beth Py-Lieberman
