African American History | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/african-american-history/RSS feed for African American HistoryenThu, 27 Aug 2026 18:35:02 +0000A Historic Alabama Hotel Linked to the Civil Rights Movement Is Falling Apart. Can the Conservationists Fighting to Save It Turn the Tide?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/historic-alabama-hotel-linked-civil-rights-movement-is-falling-apart-can-conservationists-fighting-to-save-it-turn-the-tide-180989407/Selma's Edistone Hotel has witnessed pivotal chapters in American history, from Reconstruction to "Bloody Sunday." Now, after years of neglect and a recent wall collapse, the Conservation Fund is working to secure its futureThu, 27 Aug 2026 18:35:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/historic-alabama-hotel-linked-civil-rights-movement-is-falling-apart-can-conservationists-fighting-to-save-it-turn-the-tide-180989407/To Dismantle the Concept of Separate but Equal, Thurgood Marshall Methodically Devised a Winning Strategy: Divide and Conquerhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/dismantle-concept-separate-equal-thurgood-marshall-methodically-devised-winning-strategy-divide-conquer-180989278/While other activists aimed to take down Jim Crow in one fell swoop, the future Supreme Court justice compiled a series of wins that ultimately added up to an undeniable resolutionWed, 26 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/dismantle-concept-separate-equal-thurgood-marshall-methodically-devised-winning-strategy-divide-conquer-180989278/Audio Engineers Restored Hidden Notes and Revealed Lost Instruments in This New Treasure Trove of Songs by the Pioneering 'Mother of the Blues'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/audio-engineers-restored-hidden-notes-and-revealed-lost-instruments-in-this-new-treasure-trove-of-songs-by-the-pioneering-mother-of-the-blues-180989228/The 118-track collection is the most complete set ever compiled of recordings by American blues icon Ma RaineyThu, 30 Jul 2026 20:14:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/audio-engineers-restored-hidden-notes-and-revealed-lost-instruments-in-this-new-treasure-trove-of-songs-by-the-pioneering-mother-of-the-blues-180989228/This 19th-Century Diary Written by an Enslaved Maryland Man Is a Crucial Record of His Life and Family History—and the Only One of Its Kind Found in the United Stateshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/this-19th-century-diary-written-by-an-enslaved-maryland-man-is-a-crucial-record-of-his-life-and-family-historyand-the-only-one-of-its-kind-found-in-the-united-states-180989146/Adam Francis Plummer’s chronicle is believed to be the country’s sole known example of a multigenerational journal begun by an enslaved person. It’s now on view at the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community MuseumFri, 17 Jul 2026 18:30:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/this-19th-century-diary-written-by-an-enslaved-maryland-man-is-a-crucial-record-of-his-life-and-family-historyand-the-only-one-of-its-kind-found-in-the-united-states-180989146/