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History

A young boy talks to U.S. Army military police as the exhibit visited Toledo, Ohio.

Americans Flocked to See This Controversial Exhibit of Berlin’s Art Treasures in the Wake of World War II

Discovered in a salt mine in Nazi Germany, these artworks toured the United States in a questionable move that raised serious ethical concerns

Nine African American women gather for the Banner State Woman's National Baptist Convention in 1915

Women Who Shaped History

How the Daughters and Granddaughters of Former Slaves Secured Voting Rights for All

Historian Martha S. Jones takes a look at the question of race versus gender in the quest for universal suffrage

A photo taken at a Free Huey Newton Rally in 1968 with five of the six women identifiable—Delores Henderson, Joyce Lee, Mary Ann Carlton, Joyce Means and Paula Hill—provides testament to those who actualized the daily operations of the Black Panther Party.

Women Who Shaped History

The Rank and File Women of the Black Panther Party and Their Powerful Influence

A portrait taken at a “Free Huey” rally defines the female force that both supported and propelled the movement

Gibbs aboard the USS Bear, which made the voyage to Antarctica

George Washington Gibbs Jr. Defied Danger and Racism to Become the First African-American to Visit Antarctica

“He had bigger visions and would not be contained in a box,” his daughter says

The First African-American to Hold a Patent Invented ‘Dry Scouring’

In 1821, Thomas Jennings patented a method for removing dirt and grease from clothing that would lead to today’s dry cleaning

A $3.5 million renovation at the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum includes an outdoor multi-functional plaza and community garden. The museum will reopen in mid-October.

Anacostia Community Museum to Close for Renovations, but Will Tour Its Current Show With Pop Ups Across the City

D.C. Public Library will partner with the museum to bring you “A Right to the City,” which takes a deep look at gentrification and its impact

Grand Canyon National Park

The Decades-Long Political Fight to Save the Grand Canyon

Americans had long known about the wonders of the southwestern landmark, but it wouldn’t be until 1919 that it would gain full federal protection

The three-time winning Meryl Streep (above at the 2017 Academy Awards) with 21 nominations under her belt appears to be a rare exception to the Oscar Jinx.

A Smithsonian Folklorist Delves Into the Rituals and Rewards at the Academy Awards

Folk belief holds that if you have won one Oscar, your odds of ever winning a second are greatly diminished by the dreaded “Oscar Jinx”

Women have graced coinage since the third century B.C.

Who Was the First Woman Depicted on Currency and More Questions From Our Readers

You asked, we answered

Botanist George Washington Carver, seen here in a 1940 photo, donated $33,000 in cash to the Tuskegee Institute to establish a fund to carry on the agricultural and chemical work he began.

In Search of George Washington Carver’s True Legacy

The famed agriculturalist deserves to be known for much more than peanuts

Pop History

Why Is the Genie in ‘Aladdin’ Blue?

There’s a simple answer and a colonialist legacy for why the genie looks the way it does

Women make up less than 19 percent of Wikipedia's biographies.

One Tool in the Fight Against Wikipedia’s Notorious Gender Bias

Can an obscure 19th-century literary form help solve a 21st-century problem?

Only 178 of the historic figures listed in K-through-12 education standards are women, according to a 2017 study.

What Schools Teach About Women’s History Leaves a Lot to Be Desired

A recent study broke down each state’s educational standards to see whose ‘herstory’ was missing

American adventurer and archaeologist Wendell Phillips may have provided inspiration for the character of Indiana Jones.

The Complex Legacy of America’s Lawrence of Arabia

Archaeologist Wendell Phillips traveled throughout Yemen in the 1950s, where he found ancient treasures and controversy

Mary Mildred Williams again takes center stage in Jessie Morgan-Owens’ new book Girl in Black and White.

The Enslaved Girl Who Became America’s First Poster Child

In 1855, Mary Mildred Williams energized the abolitionist movement

Three years after the first oral contraceptive was approved by the FDA, Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation created the first "memory aid" packaging, which featured a circular calendar in the middle.

Women Who Shaped History

These Objects Begin to Tell the Story of Women’s History in America

Thirteen artifacts from the National Museum of American History chronicle profound changes in the life of the nation

Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court, at her hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee

Women Who Shaped History

Behind the Scenes of Sandra Day O’Connor’s First Days on the Supreme Court

As the first female justice retires from public life, read about her debut on the highest court in the nation

Young Yoshiko Hide Kishi moved with her family to the Heart Mountain War Relocation Center; "It's important to educated people about what happened," she recently told Smithsonian curators.

The Complex Role Faith Played for Incarcerated Japanese-Americans During World War II

Smithsonian curator of religion Peter Manseau weighs in on a history that must be told

American orator, editor, author, abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) edits a journal at his desk, late 1870s.

History of Now

‘The North Star’ Amplified Black Voices. How a 2019 Reboot of Frederick Douglass’ Paper Hopes to Do the Same

A new outfit sees inspiration from the 19th-century publication that pursued the cause of fighting injustice everywhere

A sculpture of Louise Arner Boyd alongside the subject herself. This bust is part of the Marin History Museum collection in Novata, California.

The Double Life of a California Socialite Who Became a Leading Arctic Explorer

In the early 20th century, Louise Arner Boyd lived as a philanthropist in the United States and a hero on the high seas

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