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History

In 1860, Lieutenant John M. Brooke wrote, “I am satisfied that [Manjiro] has had more to do with the opening of Japan than any other man living.” 

The Shipwrecked Teenager Who Helped End Japan’s Isolationist Era

Rescued by an American sea captain, Manjiro spent time abroad before returning home, where he was valued for his expertise but never fully trusted

A Babylonian clay model dated to 1800 B.C.E. shows a nude couple on a couch engaged in sex and kissing.

Humanity’s First Recorded Kiss Was Earlier Than We Thought

Ancient texts suggest romantic smooching, and likely the diseases it transmitted, were widespread in Mesopotamia

An abbot at Dongchan Temple in Fuzhou, China, supervised the creation of The Scripture of the Great Flower Ornament of the Buddha, now on view at the Huntington Library.

Nearly 1,000 Years Old, This Text Shows the Ingenuity of Chinese Woodblock Printing

An 11th-century collection of aphorisms is a part of a new exhibition in California

Examples of classical influences include Heracles' assimilation with Vajrapani, one of the Buddha's most faithful attendants, and illuminated manuscripts created in the Byzantine style by Christian monks in Ethiopia.

The Myth of the ‘Dark Ages’ Ignores How Classical Traditions Flourished Around the World

The author of a sweeping re-examination of Western history reveals the global reach of Greek and Roman antiquity

Designer Nudie Cohn sits in his Pontiac convertible.

How a Rhinestone Cowboy From Ukraine Left His Mark on the Music World

Making his famous “Nudie suits,” tailor to the stars Nudie Cohn lived and breathed the bedazzled American dream

The Indiana Statehouse, opened in 1888 and built—of course—with Indiana limestone.

Why Indiana Limestone Is One of America’s Most Prized Building Materials

From the 19th century to today, a geological trove offers a strong foundation for the nation’s cities

Hosts Emily Martin and Matt Shindell speak with Anisha Abraham and to her actor friend Jo Chim, who has written and directed a 30-minute film called “One Small Visit,” dramatizing a visit the Abraham family (above) enjoyed with the astronaut Neil Armstrong.

A New Neil Armstrong Film Makes One Giant Leap for Kindness

Smithsonian podcasts deliver doses of optimism this month, featuring Bill Nye and a story of a warm welcome from the astronaut’s family

Their shared German language helped Anne Frank, left, and Hannah Goslar forge a friendship as refugees in Amsterdam.

Anne Frank’s Childhood Friend Recalls Their Years Before the Holocaust

After fleeing her native Germany, a young Jew found companionship and community as the Nazis approached

“I try not to claim that Washington definitely countenanced” the burning of New York City, says historian Benjamin L. Carp. “However, I do think the evidence is suggestive.”

Untold Stories of American History

Did George Washington Order Rebels to Burn New York City in 1776?

A new book points out that the general was happy when the city burned and expressed regret that more of it was not destroyed during the fire

The sale is by far the largest, and certainly most significant, auction of Hawthorne papers in history.

You Could Own Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Handwritten Notes on ‘The Scarlet Letter’

Enjoy an exclusive preview of an auction of the novelist’s papers, which feature rarely seen edits and atrocious penmanship

A generation told not to trust anyone over 30 nevertheless adored Vonnegut.

Kurt Vonnegut’s Advice to College Graduates Is Still Relevant

To his adoring young fans in the 1960s and ‘70s, the anti-establishment novelist was the father they wished they had

In 1935, Josephine Herbst was, in the words of biographer Elinor Langer, “a leading lady” of the country’s radical left.

Women Who Shaped History

How Josephine Herbst, ‘Leading Lady’ of the Left, Chronicled the Rise of Fascism

During the interwar years, the American journalist reported on political unrest in Cuba, Germany and Spain

In this page from Confessionario En lengua Castellana y Timuquana Con algunos consejos para animar al penitente (Confessions in the Castilian and Timucua Language, with some tips to encourage the penitent.), Spanish is at left and the translation of Timucua is at right.

With Their Knowledge Combined, Two Scholars Are Deciphering a Long-Lost Native Language

A historian and a linguist, working together, revealed new truths about the relationship between Spanish colonizers and the Timucua people

Georgina Schuyler’s campaign to include Emma Lazarus’ poem on the statue was a retort to nativism.

Women Who Shaped History

The Woman Who Saved the Statue of Liberty

Georgina Schuyler campaigned for Emma Lazarus’ “The New Colossus” to be inscribed on a plaque in the monument’s pedestal

Elizabeth II's 1953 coronation portrait

History of Now

A Not-So-Brief History of British Coronations

Ahead of Charles III’s ceremony, here’s what you need to know about the origins and evolution of the centuries-old tradition

L to R: Abby Ryder Fortson, Amari Price, Elle Graham and Katherine Kupferer in the film adaptation of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

Women Who Shaped History

How Judy Blume Redefined Girlhood

The first movie adaptation of “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” arrives in theaters today

Interest in gold prospecting is growing across the country as the value of gold rises.

Five Places Where You Can Still Find Gold in the United States

Lucky for you, these gold rush hot spots have not yet run their mining course

A lithograph of the 1870 Great Mississippi Steamboat Race

When Deadly Steamboat Races Enthralled America

In July 1852, the “Henry Clay” caught fire during a contest on the Hudson River, killing an estimated 80 people

Tillie Black Bear accepts congratulations from President Bill Clinton after receiving the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award in December 2000.

Women Who Shaped History

Tillie Black Bear Was the Grandmother of the Anti-Domestic Violence Movement

The Lakota advocate helped thousands of domestic abuse survivors, Native and non-Native alike

Helen Gibson once remarked, “I certainly do get angry when I hear someone say, ‘I bet she didn’t do that herself.’”

Women Who Shaped History

Hollywood’s First Professional Stuntwoman Jumped From Planes and Swung Onto Trains

Dubbed “the most daring actress in pictures,” Helen Gibson rose to fame in the 1910s

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