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National Museum of American History

Lousian Mamer

What Do Refrigerators Have to Do With Women's Empowerment?

For rural women in the mid-1900s, one force for change was an organization that few today would think of: the Rural Electrification Administration

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Why a Social Activist Opposed Woman Suffrage

The right to vote, insisted some women, would undermine their efforts to promote the public good

Ruth Bader Ginsburg at a Smithsonian event.

Join the Smithsonian to Honor Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Celebrate Women's History Month with Oprah Winfrey, John Roberts, Gloria Steinem, and more in this incredible virtual program

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Jack Johnson, the First Black Heavyweight Boxing Champion

During Johnson's reign, promoters sought a "Great White Hope" to defeat the flamboyant champion, and his victories were often marred by racial discord

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Where Black and Indigenous History Come Together

Minnesota doesn’t typically come to mind when you think about slavery and the Civil War.

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The Card Collection That Blurred Baseball's Color Line

In the pages of this album, players from Latin American Leagues, the Negro Leagues, and Major League Baseball appear alongside each other

Portrait of Madam C. J. Walker, taken in 1915.

How Madam C.J. Walker Changed Philanthropy

Walker challenged the accumulation-of-wealth model of philanthropy, which postpones giving until the twilight years of life

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The 'Green Book' Became an Atlas of Self-Reliance for Black Motorists

For black Americans, the central paradox of the American automobile age was that it occurred in the middle of the Jim Crow era

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Celebrate Black History Month With These Virtual Events

The National Museum of American History offers plenty of ways to celebrate Black history from the comfort of your home

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Collecting In the Wake of January 6

On January 7, Smithsonian curator Frank Blazich spent hours surveying the National Mall collecting abandoned objects. But that was only the first part of the story.

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Illustrating the Teddy Roosevelt Africa Expedition

In 1909, President Teddy Roosevelt decided to travel to Africa with naturalists to collect specimens for the Smithsonian

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Conserving Pieces of the History of Uncle Tom's Cabin

Go behind the scenes in the conservation lab as a conservator uncovers the hidden story of a series of painted panels

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Bringing the Forgotten History of Black Firefighting to Life

Volunteer firefighters represented a potent swirl of masculinity, self-sacrifice, and republican virtue. But Philadelphia had no Black companies.

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The Workers' Turkey

Like many homes across America, in my home Thanksgiving meant turkey. Lots of turkeys. And employers gave out these big birds as work incentives, to ensure that their working-class employees wouldn't go without this crown jewel on their table.

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Reviving Indigenous Food Cultures

Hyperlocal, ultraseasonal, uber-healthy, and utterly delicious

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Does Thanksgiving Have Room for Both Thankfulness and Mourning?

Through acts of protest and education, Wampanoag and other Native Americans have long urged other Americans to reconsider the Thanksgiving myth

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When Computer Programming Was 'Just Like Planning a Dinner

Women were encouraged to seek employment in computing by appealing to traditional domestic roles

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Maggie of the Boondocks

In the Mekong Delta, there was nobody who could pick up your spirits like USO girl Martha Raye

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The Washington Senators Couldn't Win—but Excelled at Scouting Latino Talent

The Senators’ spectacular losing record obscures one of the most important stories in baseball history: the club's role in integrating Latino players into the major leagues

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Carlos Martinez, Patriot and Philanthropist

The Defense Department discriminated against Latino veterans — Carlos Martinez decided to do something about it

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