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Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

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.

A woman and child stand at a shop counter facing a woman behind the register.

How Four Women Built Careers on the Financial Lessons They Learned at Home

In oral histories, advocates and executives reflect on how their mothers shaped their understanding of financial independence through quiet examples and everyday conversations.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Portrait of Ida B. Wells from the waist up in 3/4th profile.

New Coin Celebrates the Living Legacy of Ida B. Wells

Hear from author Michelle Duster about her great-grandmother Ida B. Wells’ lifelong fight for equality. Writer and activist Ida B. Wells was selected to appear on a new quarter as part of the 2025 American Women Quarters Program with the U.S. Mint.

Two young people surrounded by greenery. One person has their hand outstretched towards a leafy bush in front of them.

Center for Community and Environment Educates and Inspires Youth for Innovative Change

The Center for Community and Environment, which receives funding administered by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, gives students and staff an opportunity to identify and explore issues of environmental inequity impacting their communities.

A black-and-white photograph of Fannie Lou Hamer carrying a sign and holding an umbrella over her head.

Fannie Lou Hamer and the Fight for Voting Rights

Learn about Fannie Lou Hamer, a voting rights activist whose vision for an inclusive political future laid the groundwork for the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

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-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.

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