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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.

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.

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.

Woman holding a sign reading “Equal positions with equal pay” during an equal pay demonstration in a city plaza, with women seated behind her.

Women Who Reshaped Financial Power and Economic Opportunity

How have women built real financial power? 'We Do Declare' shares oral histories of women who opened pathways to wealth, influence, and opportunity.

Women stand together behind a rope barrier at the Women’s March for Equality.

How Women Built Networks of Support for Economic Independence

Through oral histories, 'We Do Declare' highlights women who created networks of economic support and opened pathways to opportunity and financial independence.

A group of women law students gathered around a table in a library.

How Women Researchers Changed Our Understanding of Women’s Economic Lives

How can better data drive economic change? 'We Do Declare' uses oral histories to reveal how women collected evidence, reframed the conversation about money, and shaped lasting policy and economic opportunity.

A group of smiling women pose for a picture with their hands up in a cheer in front of the U.S. Capitol.

Women Who Changed the Laws Shaping Economic Independence

'We Do Declare' shares firsthand stories of women who organized, advocated, and passed laws to expand access to credit, work, and lasting financial independence.

Gail Winslow sits at a desk reviewing documents with another woman.

What Oral Histories Reveal About Women’s Pursuit of Economic Independence

What does independence really mean for women? Through oral histories spanning generations, 'We Do Declare' explores how access to money, credit, and opportunity shaped women’s lives and the economic freedom that makes true independence possible.

Rebecca Northen seated with her hands crossed in her lap facing the camera.

Where Are All the Women? Notability and Digital Discovery

Rebecca Northen was called the 'Julia Child of Orchids,' yet her story is hard to find online. Discover why women disappear from digital history and what can be done to change it.

Three women pose for a photo in front of a Victorian-style house.

Exploring Clara Barton’s Legacy: A Field Trip into Women’s History Preservation

Explore Clara Barton’s legacy with Smithsonian interns at historic sites that preserve women’s history, from the Missing Soldiers Office to the Red Cross.

Barbara Franklin seated in the center of a room surrounded by lighting and sound equipment. Rachel Seidman sits facing her approximate five feet away with papers in her lap.

How Oral History Can Empower Women’s Voices

Smithsonian intern shares her experience observing an oral history interview for We Do Declare, highlighting how women’s voices are preserved and amplified through storytelling.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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