Meredith Herndon

Meredith Herndon is the writer and editor for the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum.

Stories from this author

Julia Ward Howe posed seated with a book open on her lap.

Meet Julia Ward Howe, the Remarkable Poet Who Wrote the ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’ and Fought for Women's Suffrage

Poet, philosopher, and suffragist Julia Ward Howe wrote a rallying cry in 1861 that would resonate for more than a century—echoing through the Civil Rights Movement and beyond.

Martin Luther King, Jr. stands at a podium with several microphones. Behind him to his left is a crowd of seated and standing people, including Dorothy Height, turned towards him.

Excluded at the March on Washington, Dorothy Height Went on to Become the ‘Godmother of the Civil Rights Movement.’ See How She Built a Movement with Women at the Center.

As one of the only women planning the March on Washington, Dorothy Height organized the logistics, mobilized the crowds, and was never given the microphone. What she built in response helped shape the modern women's movement.

Text of the Declaration in two columns, with the names of the signers in four columns.

Every American Knows the Declaration of Independence. Almost Nobody Knows the Woman Who Printed It

As Baltimore's postmaster and printer to the Continental Congress, Mary Katharine Goddard produced the first official copy of the Declaration of Independence to include the signers' names—and added her own.

Summer Hamilton stands in front of a classroom gesturing.

Discover What a Woman's Voice Can Do That a Textbook Can't. Meet the Team Turning Oral History into Financial Education.

What's missing from financial literacy education? The Smithsonian American Women's History Museum is using first-person stories from We Do Declare to reshape the way students learn about money and financial independence.

Althea Gibson in mid-swing on a tennis court, positioned in an athletic stance with her racket extended. A large crowd of spectators fills the stadium seating in the background.

Every Coin Tells a Story: Althea Gibson’s Family Reflects on Her Legacy

An interview with Don Felder, Althea Gibson's second cousin, where he shares personal memories of the tennis legend and reflects on her new commemorative quarter and lasting legacy.

Three young women pose together for a photo in front of the Smithsonian Castle.

Explore Women’s History Through Smithsonian Internships

Discover how the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum’s 2025 interns explored women’s history through hands-on research, public programming, and digital projects across the Smithsonian.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Candid photo of seven women holding papers standing in a line on stage.

How Activism and International Women’s Year Fueled U.S. Efforts for Equality

When the UN declared 1975 to be International Women’s Year, President Ford signed an executive order responding to the growing momentum in the movement for gender equality. He established the Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year, which has had a lasting impact over the last fifty years.

Four women pose for a group photo.

What Drives Their Support? Our Donors Share the Stories

Hear what giving to the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum means to our donors. From Charter Members to Making History Network volunteers, the passionate members of our community help us fulfil our mission.

Candid photo of Elena Terry smiling holding a white dish full of colorful beans, peppers, and corn tilted away from her.

How Chef Elena Terry Revisited Heritage Seeds to Cultivate Hope

Ho-Chunk Chef Elena Terry cultivates and cooks with ancestral seeds that were preserved despite forced tribal relocations. She focuses on providing opportunities to community members to eat and prepare traditional tribal foods as a method of healing.

Six women sitting closely together posing for the camera. They are wearing uniforms with light skirts and dark jackets and an armband with the letter C on it.

Lee Miller's Legacy: From Fashion Model to War Correspondent

Lee Miller, who captured some of the most harrowing photographs of World War II, started as a model and Surrealist photographer. Learn about her life and legacy that has inspired a major motion picture.

A black-and-white photograph of seven women standing on a flight of stairs. Mae Reeves stands to the farthest right on the lowest step and wears a white hat and floral patterned handbag.

Five Women to Know for American Business Women's Day

Learn about Mae Reeves, Anna Bissell, Estée Lauder, Maggie Walker, and Sara Sunshine—five women from Smithsonian collections who ran businesses and made history.

A black silhouette of a jumping woman against a colorful fabric background.

Foregrounding Fiber in American Art

The Renwick Gallery’s newest exhibition, Subversive, Skilled, Sublime: Fiber Art by Women, showcases artists who used everyday materials such as cotton, felt, and wool to tell deeply personal stories and offer an alternate view of American art.

A group of thirteen people stand together in front of green shrubs and the Smithsonian Castle.

Because of Her Story Interns Uplifted Women’s History Across Smithsonian

See what projects the Because of Her Story interns worked on this summer to amplify and uplift American women’s history across the Smithsonian.

Elizabeth Babcock from the waist up against a white background. She is leaning against a wall with her arms crossed in front of herself.

Plans, Partnerships and Powerful Women: An Interview with Director Elizabeth Babcock

In this interview, Elizabeth Babcock discusses her goals for her first year as founding director of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, plans for building successful partnerships, and the women who have inspired her and surprised her

A black-and-white image of Diane Nash at the podium with men and a woman sitting on either side of her in chairs. Nash stands in the center of the image behind the podium labeled [L.R. HALL/ AUDITORIUM] speaking into the microphone.

Excluded from National Leadership, Black Women Were the Backbone of the Civil Rights Movement

In honor of the 60th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, read about three Black women who worked and sacrificed to keep the movement going.

Candid color photo of Audre Lorde from the shoulders up standing at a microphone and podium.

Learn More About LGBTQ+ Women With These Podcasts, Paintings and Portraits

Learn about four LGBTQ+ women who were featured in projects across the Smithsonian