Historic Eras
Historic eras—including prehistory, ancient and modern history—represent time viewed through the lens of human events
How the Battle of Little Bighorn Was Won
Accounts of the 1876 battle have focused on Custer's ill-fated cavalry. But a new book offers a take from the Indian's point of view
November 2010 |
By Thomas Powers
My Big Hang-Up in a Connected World
One man's rage against the communication revolution and the dying of civility
October 2010 |
By Ted Gup
A Viking Mystery
Beneath Oxford University, archaeologists have uncovered a medieval city that altered the course of English history
October 2010 |
By David Keys
President Barack Obama: Why I’m Optimistic
Looking ahead to the next 40 years, President Obama writes about our nature as Americans to dream big and solve problems
August 2010 |
By Barack Obama
Rita Dove on the Future of Literature
The Pulitzer-Prize winning poet discusses how new technologies will affect the creative process
August 2010 |
By Lucinda Moore
Vinton Cerf on Where the Internet Will Take Us
Google’s “Chief Internet Evangelist” talks about the direction of online connectivity and communication
August 2010 |
By Brian Wolly
July 25, 1965: Dylan Goes Electric at the Newport Folk Festival
When young folk sensation Bob Dylan took the stage on July 25, 1965 at the Newport Folk Festival, a crowd of nearly 100,000 waited expectantly. What nobody could have anticipated, however, was that by the time the set was over, Dylan would lose the support of many fans who had come to love him whil...
July 23, 2010 |
By Jess Righthand
2,168 Albums Later: The Legacy of Moses Asch
When Moses Asch (1905-1986) founded a tiny record label called Folkways with Marian Distler (1919-1964) in 1948, he wanted to be a resource for musicians to document the "entire world of sound."And by that, he really did mean the entire world. Between the label's founding and Asch's death in 1986,...
July 03, 2010 |
By Erica R. Hendry
July 3: Today's Events at the Folklife Festival
Saturday, July 3MEXICOCuentacuentos (Story Telling)11:00 AM-12:00 PM Radio Bilingüe12:00 PM-1:00 PM Cultural Conversations1:00 PM-2:00 PM Fiesta Traditions2:00 PM-3:00 PM Culture and Natural Resources3:00 PM-4:00 PM Craft Traditions and Natural Materials4:00 PM-4:45 PM Jaranero Movement4:45 PM-5:3...
July 03, 2010 |
By Brandon Springer
Home Away From Rome
Excavations of villas where Roman emperors escaped the office are giving archaeologists new insights into the imperial way of life
June 2010 |
By Paul Bennett
Wayne B. Wheeler: The Man Who Turned Off the Taps
Prohibition couldn't have happened without Wheeler, who foisted temperance on a thirsty nation 90 years ago
May 2010 |
By Daniel Okrent
Hypatia, Ancient Alexandria’s Great Female Scholar
An avowed paganist in a time of religious strife, Hypatia was also one of the first women to study math, astronomy and philosophy
March 15, 2010 |
By Sarah Zielinski
Sculpting Evolution
A series of statues by sculptor John Gurche brings us face to face with our early ancestors
March 2010 |
By Abigail Tucker
The Skeletons of Shanidar Cave
A rare cache of hominid fossils from the Kurdistan area of northern Iraq offers a window on Neanderthal culture
March 2010 |
By Owen Edwards
An Ancestry of African-Native Americans
Using government documents, author Angela Walton-Raji traced her ancestors to the slaves owned by American Indians
February 17, 2010 |
By Katy June-Friesen
Uncovering Secrets of the Sphinx
After decades of research, American archaeologist Mark Lehner has some answers about the mysteries of the Egyptian colossus
February 2010 |
By Evan Hadingham
Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls?
Resolving the dispute over authorship of the ancient manuscripts could have far-reaching implications for Christianity and Judaism
January 2010 |
By Andrew Lawler
Programs Announced for 2010 Folklife Festival
Every year since 1967, more than one million people gather on the National Mall over two weeks for cultural immersion and exploration. Last year, visitors learned about the power of words in African American culture, the culture of Wales and music in Latino culture. The three programs for the 2010 ...
December 09, 2009 |
By Abby Callard
The Glorious History of Handel's Messiah
A musical rite of the holiday season, the Baroque-era oratorio still awes listeners 250 years after the composer's death
December 2009 |
By Jonathan Kandell
The Waldseemüller Map: Charting the New World
Two obscure 16th-century German scholars named the American continent and changed the way people thought about the world
December 2009 |
By Toby Lester
