Meredith Herndon

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

Stories from this author

Detailed photo of a bronze sculpture depicting George Washington, Polly Cooper, and Skenandoah from the waist up.

She Walked Over 200 Miles in the Snow to Feed a Starving Army. The Oneida Nation Has Remembered Polly Cooper for 250 Years

Black-and-white photo of Elizebeth Smith Friedman from the chest up

Elizebeth Smith Friedman Was the U.S. Government's First Woman Codebreaker. She Cracked Nazi Secrets, Saved 8,000 Lives and Pioneered Modern Cryptography

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

Explore Women’s History Through Smithsonian Internships

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

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

Vera Rubin in front of a green wooded area.

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

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

Eleanor Roosevelt Honored on New U.S. Quarter

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

Four women pose for a group photo.

What Drives Their Support? Our Donors Share the Stories

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

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

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

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

Foregrounding Fiber in 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

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

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

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