Skip to main content

Subscribe to Smithsonian magazine and get a FREE tote.

Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

A black and white photograph of Mary Church Terrell seated in profile from the waist up. The left side of her face is visible. There is a photographer's stamp embossed in the bottom left corner.

Activist and Writer Mary Church Terrell Led the Charge for Desegregation

Discover the legacy of Mary Church Terrell, cofounder of the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, educator, and women’s rights advocate.

Grandma Moses seated in a chair slightly turned away from the camera holding a book in her lap.

Grandma Moses' Folk Art Took Her from the Farm to Fame

Discover how Grandma Moses, a self-taught artist, turned to painting in her late 70s and became an American folk-art icon.

Summer Hamilton stands at a podium in front of a room full of people. She is slightly turned and pointing towards something on the wall behind her.

Using Oral Histories as Tools for Financial Education

Discover how Smithsonian educators are using oral histories to bring financial literacy to life in the classroom. At the 2025 National Education Summit, experts shared how We Do Declare: Women’s Voices on Independence connects students to women’s stories of economic power, helping them understand the value of financial independence.

Stacey Park Milbern seated in a power chair in a lush green background with flowers and succulents surrounding her.

How Stacey Park Milbern Found Power in Disability Identity

Discover how Stacey Park Milbern’s teenage experiences shaped her identity and sparked a lifelong commitment to disability justice. Hear from Stacey’s father Joel Milbern about how a pivotal youth leadership conference helped her embrace disability as a source of power and purpose.

Postcard showing a woman sitting on the observing chair in front of a large refracting telescope. A man stands to her right leaning forward on a ladder.

Maria Mitchell: America’s First Woman Astronomer and Mentor to Women in Science

Maria Mitchell, the first widely recognized American woman scientist, gained international acclaim after discovering a comet in 1847. As Vassar College’s first astronomy professor, she advanced opportunities for women in science and mentored a generation of students using one of the country’s finest observatories.

Amelia Earhart seated, wearing a leather jacket and scarf, gazing slightly to the side.

Amelia Earhart’s Trailblazing Life in Aviation

Pioneering pilot Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. Learn how she used aviation to champion women's independence and made history in her red Lockheed Vega 5B.

General battle scene with many people. Molly Pitcher in center of canvas manning cannon with bare-chested man igniting cannon. Two dead men featured in the foreground. Flag bearer behind Molly Pitcher.

Who Was Molly Pitcher? Exploring the Revolutionary War Icon

Uncover the real story behind Molly Pitcher, the Revolutionary War legend who symbolizes women’s courage, resilience, and battlefield bravery.

Two visitors stand in front of a colorful abstract painting and wall text in a museum gallery.

Pictures of Belonging Reveals Hidden Stories of Japanese American Artists

Pictures of Belonging at the Smithsonian American Art Museum spotlights Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo, three Japanese American women artists whose overlooked stories bring powerful voices to the forefront of American modern art.

Althea Gibson poses on a stool with two tennis rackets. Both the rackets have dark colors printed with "Althea Gibson" in white letters.

Rising Above Bias to Become the First African American Grand Slam Champion

Althea Gibson shattered barriers in tennis and beyond by becoming the first Black athlete to win major titles and blaze a path in professional golf and public service.

View from a plane’s window showing the wing as the plane flies over the ocean and shoreline.

On the Road to Independence: Field Notes From 'We Do Declare'

Go behind the scenes with curator Rachel Seidman as she interviews women for "We Do Declare: Women's Voices on Independence," our oral history and education project exploring how women have sought to increase their economic independence over the last 50 years

Vera Rubin in front of a green wooded area.

A Life of Curiosity: Remembering Vera Rubin Through Her Granddaughter’s Eyes

A personal tribute to astronomer Vera Rubin, told through stories and memories from her granddaughter, Ramona Rubin.

Vera Rubin stands against a backdrop of a star-filled galaxy with her hands loosely clasped in front of her.

New Quarter Honors Vera Rubin, Astronomer Who Revealed the Universe’s Hidden Mass

Astronomer Vera Rubin, now honored on a U.S. quarter, transformed our understanding of the universe by uncovering powerful evidence of dark matter. Her groundbreaking work revealed that most of the universe’s mass is invisible, and she paved the way for greater inclusion in science along the way.

Oil painting portrait of Harriet Beecher Stowe seated with her hands folded in her lap.

How Harriet Beecher Stowe Turned Public Opinion Against Slavery

Learn how Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book Uncle Tom’s Cabin sparked national debate and changed how many Americans understood slavery.

Three images of Ella Fitzgerald, side by side. Her eyes are closed as she sings into the microphone she is holding in front of her.

An Inside Look at Smithsonian's 'Collected' Podcast Season Two: The Musical Genius of Black Women

In this chat between "Collected" podcast curators, learn more about season two, "The Musical Genius of Black Women," which dives into notable Black women who made their mark on music.

Black and white portrait of Mary Cassatt sitting in a chair wearing fur and a feathered hat.

Mary Cassatt Gave Women a Place in the Impressionist Movement

Mary Cassatt reshaped the art world by elevating everyday domestic moments into beautiful Impressionist works of art. Discover how she championed the visibility of women as both subject and artist and helped bring Impressionism to American museums.

Eleanor Roosevelt standing in front of four microphones labeled as CBS and NBC

Eleanor Roosevelt Honored on New U.S. Quarter

Learn about the many ways diplomat, activist, and 2023 American Women Quarters honoree Eleanor Roosevelt made American history through this selected collection of resources from across the Smithsonian, National Archives, and more.

Painted portrait of Juliette Gordon Low seated with her hands resting in her lap.

New Quarter Honors Juliette Gordon Low, Founder of Girl Scouts

The newest quarter in the American Women Quarters Program honors the contributions of Juliette Gordon Low, founder of Girl Scouts of the USA. Learn about her life and what inspired her to create the organization.

A black and white photo of Katherine Johnson sitting at a desk in front of a typewriter and open notebook.

New Partnership Illuminates Hidden Record of NASA’s Human Computers

By partnering with Margot Lee Shetterly and the Human Computer Project, the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum is shining a light on the women whose contributions at NASA have been hidden in data and records.

Screenshot of the metadata (left) for a botanical specimen (right). The metadata shows Suzanne Ripley as the Collector.

The Challenge of Metadata in Uncovering Women’s History

Metadata is a vital tool for discovering and preserving history. Learn about efforts across the Smithsonian to highlight women’s contributions in American history with accurate metadata in museum collections.

Two hands holding a card with handwritten information. A stack of other handwritten papers is visible on the table below.

Discoverability Lab Offers New Look at Historical Data and Machine Learning

Explore early experiments to increase the discoverability of women's history at the Smithsonian.

Categories
Archive

Page 2 of 4