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History / U.S. History

An engraving of James A. Garfield's assassination, published in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper

The Garfield Assassination Altered American History, But Is Woefully Forgotten Today

A newly installed historical marker recognizes the site where Charles Guiteau shot the president in 1881

Directed by Otto Bathurst, Robin Hood stars Taron Egerton in the title role, with Jamie Foxx as Little John, Ben Mendelsohn as the Sheriff of Nottingham and Eve Hewson as Marian.

Why a New Robin Hood Arises Every Generation

Troubled times always bring out the noble bandit who, in the face of tyranny and corruption, robs from the rich to give back to the people

More like something out of a dream than a part of daily life, that weekend indelibly imprinted scenes in American memory: the riderless horse, the rat-a-tat-tat of the muffled drums, the brave widow, the toddler saluting his father’s casket.

How Poetry Soothed a Nation in Mourning for John F. Kennedy

First the jolt of shock, then a shroud of sadness struck the nation in the weeks following that fateful day

The Telharmonium is considered to be the first electromechanical musical instrument.

The World’s First Synthesizer Was a 200-Ton Behemoth

Thaddeus Cahill’s Telharmonium may not have been a huge success, but it was an important achievement in music history

Thanksgiving tells the story of a landmark moment of coexistence, multiculturalism and even neighborliness (above: The First Thanksgiving, 1621, Jean Leon G. Ferris) when Native Americans taught Pilgrims to farm, and shared a meal with them after a successful harvest in 1621.

How an Unremarkable ‘Brunch in the Forest’ Turned Into the Thanksgiving We Know

A new Sidedoor podcast dives into the holiday’s origins

Close up on Atlanta University's "City and Rural Population. 1890" data visualization

Document Deep Dive

W.E.B. Du Bois’ Visionary Infographics Come Together for the First Time in Full Color

His pioneering team of black sociologists created data visualizations that explained institutionalized racism to the world

Detail of a copy of the Declaration printed by Goddard

Women Who Shaped History

Mary Katharine Goddard, the Woman Whose Name Appears on the Declaration of Independence

Likely the United States’ first woman employee, this newspaper publisher was a key figure in promoting the ideas that fomented the Revolution

“First ladies still tend to be more mysterious than the presidents,” says Smithsonian curator Lisa Kathleen Graddy. “We’re always hoping once the First Lady is out of office (above: Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama, January 20, 2009) she’s going to let us in a little more.”

History of Now

The History of First Ladies’ Memoirs

Freed from the political constraints of living in the White House, these famous women have over the decades shared their personal opinions with the public

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Ingenious Minds

A Smithsonian Sports Curator Explains How Athletes Turn Social and Political Issues into National Conversations

Atlantic staff writer Frank Foer interviews Damion Thomas about athletes moving from a position of apathy to engagement

At the Arc de Triomphe in 1919, Edwards blew “Taps” in honor of the fallen for their service and their sacrifice.

Hartley Edwards Played “Taps” on this Bugle After World War I to Honor the Fallen

But the bugler remembered the story a bit wrong. A century later, a curator sets the record straight

In the five generations since the treaty was signed and broken, the Sioux Nations have steadily lost reservation lands to white development.

In 1868, Two Nations Made a Treaty. The U.S. Broke It, and Plains Indian Tribes Are Still Seeking Justice

The American Indian Museum puts the 150-year-old Fort Laramie Treaty on view in its “Nation to Nation” exhibition

From left to right: Sgt. Harold J. Higginbottom, Brigadier General Amos A. Fries, 2nd Lt. Thomas Jabine

World War I: 100 Years Later

How Three Doughboys Experienced the Last Days of World War I

The end of the war was a welcome reprieve for these three American soldiers, eager to return home

“What I also want people to understand is that as difficult as this history is, it's ripe with optimism," says the museum's director Lonnie Bunch. "Because if you can survive that cabin, there's a lot more you can survive.”

This South Carolina Cabin Is Now a Crown Jewel in the Smithsonian Collections

The 16- by 20-foot dwelling once housed the enslaved; a new podcast tells its story

In his 90-minute performance, Leguizamo hurtles through 50 characters—from an Incan emperor to a female Confederate soldier.

2018 Smithsonian Ingenuity Awards

Why John Leguizamo Is So Invested in Telling the Country About Latino History

His uproariously inventive one-man show, soon to be shown on Netflix, puts the story of a neglected culture center stage

A view of the wreckage in the Malbone St. Tunnel

The Malbone Street Wreck of 1918

A confluence of circumstances led to the deadly disaster, 100 years ago today, in the New York subway that killed 93

Eighty years ago, Seabiscuit trounced Triple Crown winner War Admiral.

Scientists Extract DNA From Seabiscuit’s Hooves To Figure Out How He Was So Fast

Eighty years ago, the horse famously trounced Triple Crown winner War Admiral. Did genetics make him an unlikely success?

The Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site in Indianapolis

Why Museums Should Be Proud Polling Sites

The head of the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site calls upon his colleagues to engage with their community by opening their doors to voting

Judy and Dennis Shepard signed into the custody of the Smithsonian powerful emblems of their son’s life, ranging from a smiling photo of Matt taken during his high school studies in Switzerland to a child-sized Superman cape worn down from regular and energetic use.

As His Remains Are Finally Interred, Powerful Emblems of Matthew Shepard’s Life and Memory Come to the Smithsonian

Judy and Dennis Shepard lay their son to rest at the Washington National Cathedral after donating childhood artwork, photos and a wedding ring

View of the National Veterans Memorial and Museum from above.

A New Museum Honoring America’s Veterans Opens in Ohio

Personal stories take the place of military artifacts at the new National Veterans Memorial & Museum

The Donora Smog of 1948 began on October 27 and lasted until October 31, when rain cleared the combined smoke, fog and pollution that had become trapped over the town.

The Deadly Donora Smog of 1948 Spurred Environmental Protection—But Have We Forgotten the Lesson?

Steel and zinc industries provided Donora residents with work, but also robbed them of their health, and for some, their lives

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