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National Museum of American History

Smithsonian Voices

Entertainment Nation

Mark Your Calendar: Black History Month, Exhibits, Jazz and More at the National Museum of American History

This February at the museum, we're celebrating a new season of the podcast, commemorating Black History Month, and listening to some jazz. Check out the calendar to find out what's going on this month!

Amy Kehs | January 24, 2025

Till sign_feature image_april.jpg

Remembering Emmett Till, Appreciating Jazz and More in April

New exhibitions, programming for Jazz Appreciation Month and more at the museum in April

Amy Kehs | March 22, 2024

DACA graduation robe

Reflecting on the Ten Year Anniversary of DACA

Three undocumented organizers share their reflections from inside the movement

Patty Arteaga, Nancy Bercaw, José Centeno-Meléndez, Alex Hanesworth, and Delia Beristain Noreiga | June 27, 2022

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Ella at the Gala

The Ella Fitzgerald Papers reveal a surprising connection between Fitzgerald and the Kennedy Inauguration

Corey Schmidt | April 20, 2022
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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

Eric W. Jentsch | February 22, 2022
Sioux Village.jpg

Where Black and Indigenous History Come Together

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

Katrina Phillips | February 17, 2022
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

Tyrone McKinley Freeman, interviewed by Amanda Moniz | February 7, 2022
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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

Jay Driskell | February 3, 2022
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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

Clara de Pablo | February 1, 2022
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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

Stephanie Guidera | December 8, 2021
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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.

Timothy Winkle | November 30, 2021
Girlhood (It’s complicated) opened to the public on October 9, 2020. Artwork by Krystal Quiles for NMAH.

Why Did the Smithsonian Create an Exhibit About Girlhood?

The museum had a bold new idea—it was going to create an exhibition about girlhood

Megan Smith | August 9, 2021
In a scene from the HBO series, Tulsa’s masked police force prepares for a raid. Detective Wade Tillman (known as “Looking Glass”) is played by Tim Blake Nelson. Detective Angela Abar (known as “Sister Night”) is played by Regina King (Mark Hill for HBO).

When Watchmen Were Klansmen

While Watchmen is a work of fiction, only a century ago, at the time of the Tulsa Massacre, America faced law enforcement organizations that were aligned with, and even controlled by, the Klan

Timothy Winkle | May 26, 2021
Norman Granz and Ella Fitzgerald at a microphone, 1950. (Ella Fitzerald Papers, NMAH Archives Center)

How Norman Granz Revolutionized Jazz for Social Justice

Granz fought Jim Crow America, identifying the potential of jazz music to combat racial inequality.

Alexandra Piper | April 29, 2021
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