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National Museum of American History

Two coins, one shows the "heads" side and one shows the "tails" side.

A Tiny Medal Takes Center Stage on Football’s Biggest Night

The Libertas Americana is set to take center stage at this Sunday’s Super Bowl LX and this ceremonial “coin” is anything but ordinary.

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Soccer Goes American: Pelé and the Rise of American League Soccer

"Pele Signs With Cosmos: ‘Soccer Has Arrived’ Here With the same ebullience that has marked his play, Pele took up his new career yesterday as a New York Cosmos forward and soccer's ambassador to the United States." --New York Times, June 11, 1975

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Museum Happenings This April: Jazz Appreciation Month, Events & More

This April, at the National Museum of American History, we’re celebrating Jazz Appreciation Month! Check out the calendar to learn more!

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When Algorithms Take the Field

A Look Inside MLB’s Robo-Umping Experiment

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!

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Meet the Athletes Who Became Champion Inventors

Frustrated on the sporting field, they became “user innovators” when they used their ingenuity to improve the game

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Remembering Emmett Till, Appreciating Jazz and More in April

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

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The Artistry Behind a Baseball Bat

Commemorate Roberto Clemente Day by learning what goes into a baseball bat

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Designing Kristi Yamaguchi's Costume to Sparkle Under the Spotlight

In the center of a dark arena, a spotlight illuminates a glittering Kristi Yamaguchi, ready to skate.

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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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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

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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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Ten Objects That Will Help You Understand Latinx History

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’ve put together a top 10 list of the museum’s most exciting Latinx history objects.

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Baseball Uniforms Honor Latino Heritage on the Field

Puerto Rican baseball legend Roberto Clemente once declared, “When I put on my uniform, I feel I am the proudest man on earth.”

R2-D2 droid costume featured in the movie

Why Isn't My Favorite Artifact on Display?

We know how it feels when you come to the museum and the thing that you love isn't on display

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The Science Behind a Faster, Higher, Stronger Team USA

The unsung heroes behind the Summer Olympics are the scientists and engineers whose inventions and innovations help athletes become “Faster, Higher, Stronger”

Leo Baker's personalized skateboards (NMAH)

How LGBTQ Skateboarders Have Carved Out a Place at the Park

The Smithsonian has collected from members of the diverse and fiercely dedicated LGBTQ skate community

The all-star team from Gila River (Arizona) that played at Heart Mountain (Wyoming). Tetsuo Furukawa is in the top row, fourth from the right. (NMAH)

Baseball Behind Barbed Wire

Prisoners in WWII Japanese incarceration camps were still American, and took part in baseball, the great American pastime

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