Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Your IMPACT | Your Smithsonian

Dr. Mae Jamison, 1992, NASA.

Because of Her Story

What if you tried to write the American story using only half the alphabet? Even if you could include a few more letters the important ones, the most visible ones or some that haven't been given their due you'd be hard pressed to capture what happened.

Darren Walker

Catalyst Darren Walker, A Leader for Social Justice

Darren Walker is president of the Ford Foundation. Under his leadership, the foundation has given generously to help build the National Museum of African American History and Culture; the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center to support culture labs that foster a deeper understanding of Asian Pacific Americans; Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum for
two groundbreaking exhibitions, Design for the Other 90% and Access + Ability; and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative. This fall, Walker was honored by Cooper Hewitt with the Director’s Award for his courageous vision for fighting social inequality, inspiring leadership and unwavering support of organizations that build a more inclusive and strong civil society.

The Smithsonian Latino Center’s first gallery, the Molina Family Latino Gallery, will open at the National Museum of American History in 2021

Making History Together—Building a Latino Gallery for the Nation

The Smithsonian Latino Center’s first gallery, the Molina Family Latino Gallery, will open at the National Museum of American History in 2021 to showcase the Latino Experience in the United States and connect the community’s rich past with its dynamic present.

IwamotoScott, Voussoir Cloud, SCIArc Gallery (Los Angeles, California, 2008). PHOTO Judson Terry. In IwamotoScott Architecture's 2008 installation Voussoir Cloud, heavy wood blocks become translucent petals depending on the changing light of day. The firm won the 2019 National Design Award for Interior Design.

Design Minds

The National Design Awards celebrate 20 years of inspiration.

Thirteen “Because of Her Story” interns spent the summer uncovering stories of remarkable American women and learning museum practice. Pictured: Stella Hendricks, intern, National Portrait Gallery. (Michael Barnes)

“Because of Her Story” Interns Look to Historical Role Models

As they wrapped up their Smithsonian assignments this month, interns reflected on their summer experience and individual research projects, which included studying the skeletal remains of 19th century African American women; planning a major traveling exhibition on the history of American girlhood; and writing about the women who worked on the Apollo space program.

Categories
Archive