American History | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/american-history/RSS feed for American HistoryenFri, 17 Jul 2026 18:30:12 +0000This 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/Thomas Jefferson’s Original Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence Can Now Be Seen at the Library of Congresshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thomas-jeffersons-original-rough-draft-of-the-declaration-of-independence-can-be-seen-at-library-of-congress-180989113/The new exhibition, which shows how the document was edited, also features an early copy of the Gettysburg AddressTue, 14 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thomas-jeffersons-original-rough-draft-of-the-declaration-of-independence-can-be-seen-at-library-of-congress-180989113/The Largest Operating Steam Locomotive in the World Weighs 1.2 Million Pounds. Now, the Historic Train May Be Coming to Your Townhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-largest-operating-steam-locomotive-in-the-world-weighs-1-2-million-pounds-now-the-historic-train-may-be-coming-to-your-town-180989112/Built in the 1940s, Big Boy No. 4014 retired in 1961 after traveling for more than one million miles. It's now making its way across the country in honor of America's 250th birthdayMon, 13 Jul 2026 17:26:51 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-largest-operating-steam-locomotive-in-the-world-weighs-1-2-million-pounds-now-the-historic-train-may-be-coming-to-your-town-180989112/DNA Reveals the Identity of a Teenager Who Died in the Revolutionary War, Cracking a Nearly 250-Year-Old Cold Casehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/dna-reveals-the-identity-of-a-teenager-who-died-in-the-revolutionary-war-cracking-a-nearly-250-year-old-cold-case-180989095/John Pumphrey was still a boy when he enlisted in the Continental Army in 1777. After archaeologists discovered his remains, a genetic genealogy analysis identified 20,000 DNA matches for living relativesFri, 10 Jul 2026 16:07:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/dna-reveals-the-identity-of-a-teenager-who-died-in-the-revolutionary-war-cracking-a-nearly-250-year-old-cold-case-180989095/The City of Boston Discovered One of the Oldest Known Gravestones of a Free Black American, Who Shared a Name With the Massachusetts Capitalhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-city-of-boston-discovered-one-of-the-oldest-known-gravestones-of-a-free-black-american-who-shared-a-name-with-the-massachusetts-capital-180989088/Also known as Sebastian, he died in 1729 and is buried alongside Samuel Adams, John Hancock and Paul Revere. His life tells a story of slavery and freedom in the North before the American RevolutionWed, 08 Jul 2026 20:56:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-city-of-boston-discovered-one-of-the-oldest-known-gravestones-of-a-free-black-american-who-shared-a-name-with-the-massachusetts-capital-180989088/July 4 Is Always a Star-Spangled-Banner Day for Old Glory. Celebrate With These 15 Images of the American Flaghttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/july-4-is-always-a-star-spangled-banner-day-for-old-glory-celebrate-with-these-15-images-of-the-american-flag-180989053/Nothing symbolizes the promise of the nation like the stars and stripes flapping valiantly in the blue sky. As we approach the country’s 250th anniversary, this collection offers a moment of reflectionFri, 03 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/july-4-is-always-a-star-spangled-banner-day-for-old-glory-celebrate-with-these-15-images-of-the-american-flag-180989053/The Oldest Black Church in the U.S., the Wright Brothers' Home and a New York Hospital Are Among the American Heritage Sites in Urgent Need of Preservationhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/oldest-black-church-wright-brothers-homes-new-york-hospital-american-heritage-treasures-in-urgent-need-of-preservation-180989058/For its “Irreplaceable America” list in honor of the 250th birthday of the United States, the World Monuments Fund chose endangered historic sites of innovation, creativity and spirituality to publicize and supportThu, 02 Jul 2026 17:54:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/oldest-black-church-wright-brothers-homes-new-york-hospital-american-heritage-treasures-in-urgent-need-of-preservation-180989058/To Recreate One of the American Revolution's Most Famous Paintings, This Artist Painstakingly Crafted Miniature Wax Figures of the Nation's Foundershttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/to-recreate-one-of-the-american-revolutions-most-famous-paintings-this-artist-painstakingly-crafted-miniature-wax-figures-of-the-nations-founders-180989026/Bartlett M. Frost’s diorama is modeled after John Trumbull's depiction of the presentation of the Declaration of Independence. Newly conserved, the work is now on view at the National Portrait GalleryThu, 02 Jul 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/to-recreate-one-of-the-american-revolutions-most-famous-paintings-this-artist-painstakingly-crafted-miniature-wax-figures-of-the-nations-founders-180989026/Vintage ‘READ’ Posters Adorning Libraries and Classrooms for Decades Go on Auction as the American Library Association Turns 150https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/vintage-read-posters-adorning-libraries-and-classrooms-for-decades-go-on-auction-as-the-american-library-association-turns-150-180989057/Taylor Swift, Serena Williams and famous fictional characters lent their iconic faces to encourage people to pick up a bookWed, 01 Jul 2026 19:30:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/vintage-read-posters-adorning-libraries-and-classrooms-for-decades-go-on-auction-as-the-american-library-association-turns-150-180989057/How Tens of Thousands of Irish Immigrants Led the Patriots to Victory During the American Revolutionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-tens-of-thousands-of-irish-immigrants-led-the-patriots-to-victory-during-the-american-revolution-180989052/Soldiers of Irish heritage accounted for up to 50 percent of the Continental Army's ranks. Driven from their homeland by British oppression, Irish-born rebels also served as spies, politicians and moreWed, 01 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-tens-of-thousands-of-irish-immigrants-led-the-patriots-to-victory-during-the-american-revolution-180989052/During World War I, This Woman Asked Americans to Welcome Immigrants—and Urged New Arrivals to Assimilatehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/during-world-war-i-this-woman-asked-americans-to-welcome-immigrants-and-urged-new-arrivals-to-assimilate-180989035/Progressive reformer Frances Kellor spearheaded efforts to celebrate Americanization Day, arguing that immigrants should fully embrace U.S. culture to better adapt to life in their new homeTue, 30 Jun 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/during-world-war-i-this-woman-asked-americans-to-welcome-immigrants-and-urged-new-arrivals-to-assimilate-180989035/The Lost Memoir of a Hiroshima Survivor Was Rediscovered. Now, It Will Be Published as a Book and Adapted for Filmhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-lost-memoir-of-a-hiroshima-survivor-was-rediscovered-now-it-will-be-published-as-a-book-and-adapted-for-film-180989019/Nearly 80 years ago, Kiyoshi Tanimoto documented the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing during World War II. His manuscript was recently found in a U.S. libraryThu, 25 Jun 2026 17:24:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-lost-memoir-of-a-hiroshima-survivor-was-rediscovered-now-it-will-be-published-as-a-book-and-adapted-for-film-180989019/Everyone Wanted Alexander Graham Bell to Debut the Telephone at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. He Almost Avoided It Entirelyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/everyone-wanted-alexander-graham-bell-to-debut-the-telephone-at-the-philadelphia-centennial-exhibition-he-almost-walked-away-first-180989016/The inventor had to be persuaded to make the trip from Boston, then balked at the thought of a delay in debuting his device. But history interceded, and his American innovation got its proper accoladesThu, 25 Jun 2026 15:05:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/everyone-wanted-alexander-graham-bell-to-debut-the-telephone-at-the-philadelphia-centennial-exhibition-he-almost-walked-away-first-180989016/How One German Button Maker Searched the Rivers of the American Midwest for the Shells That Could Make Him a Fortunehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-one-german-button-maker-searched-the-rivers-of-the-american-midwest-for-the-shells-that-could-make-him-a-fortune-180989012/John Boepple settled in Muscatine, Iowa, where he produced pearl buttons made from freshwater mussel shells. His innovations brought economic prosperity to the town—and disaster to the local mussel populationsThu, 25 Jun 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-one-german-button-maker-searched-the-rivers-of-the-american-midwest-for-the-shells-that-could-make-him-a-fortune-180989012/A Century and a Half After Custer's Last Stand, the Battle of Little Bighorn Continues to Mystifyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-century-and-a-half-after-custers-last-stand-the-battle-of-little-bighorn-continues-to-mystify-180988984/The June 1876 firefight resulted in the deaths of George Armstrong Custer and 267 of his men. Historians continue to debate exactly how the Lakota Sioux and the Northern Cheyenne secured their victory over the U.S. ArmyWed, 24 Jun 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-century-and-a-half-after-custers-last-stand-the-battle-of-little-bighorn-continues-to-mystify-180988984/A Letter Signed by George Washington That Helped Pave the Way for American Independence Goes on Display in Londonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-letter-signed-by-george-washington-that-helped-pave-the-way-for-american-independence-is-going-on-display-in-london-180989004/Washington dictated and signed the letter in October 1781 to formally accept the British surrender at Yorktown, writing of his “ardent desire to spare the further effusion of blood”Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:27:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-letter-signed-by-george-washington-that-helped-pave-the-way-for-american-independence-is-going-on-display-in-london-180989004/100 Years Ago, Students Across the U.S. Took the First SAT. Today, Relatively Few Colleges Require the Test. Where Is It Headed?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/100-years-ago-students-across-the-us-took-the-first-sat-today-relatively-few-colleges-require-the-test-where-is-it-headed-180988997/The standardized exam has evolved over the past century, all in the name of testing for college readiness. Now, it has become a symbol of the American higher education systemTue, 23 Jun 2026 16:16:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/100-years-ago-students-across-the-us-took-the-first-sat-today-relatively-few-colleges-require-the-test-where-is-it-headed-180988997/How Angry, Out-of-Work Fishermen Saved the Patriots During the American Revolutionhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-angry-out-of-work-fishermen-saved-the-patriots-during-the-american-revolution-180988968/The British punished rebellious New Englanders by depriving them of their livelihood. This led unemployed mariners to enlist in the patriot causeMon, 22 Jun 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-angry-out-of-work-fishermen-saved-the-patriots-during-the-american-revolution-180988968/What Natural History Objects Represent Your State? You Can Find Out in This New Exhibition of More Than 600 Specimens and Artifactshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/what-natural-history-objects-represent-your-state-you-can-find-out-in-this-new-exhibition-of-more-than-600-specimens-and-artifacts-180988980/The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History celebrates America’s 250th anniversary by spotlighting fascinating items from across the nationThu, 18 Jun 2026 14:15:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/what-natural-history-objects-represent-your-state-you-can-find-out-in-this-new-exhibition-of-more-than-600-specimens-and-artifacts-180988980/Here's How the Obama Presidential Center Is Different From Other Presidents' Museumshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/heres-how-the-obama-presidential-center-is-different-from-other-presidents-museums-180988974/More than a library and archives, the new Chicago institution is a place for the community to gather, talk and play togetherThu, 18 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/heres-how-the-obama-presidential-center-is-different-from-other-presidents-museums-180988974/In June 1775, the American Patriots Faced Off With the British at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Archaeologists Are Uncovering Evidence of the Fighting 251 Years Laterhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-june-1775-the-american-patriots-faced-off-with-the-british-at-the-battle-of-bunker-hill-archaeologists-are-uncovering-evidence-of-the-fighting-251-years-later-180988979/Researchers discovered gun parts, musket balls and other artifacts in Boston's Charlestown neighborhoodThu, 18 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-june-1775-the-american-patriots-faced-off-with-the-british-at-the-battle-of-bunker-hill-archaeologists-are-uncovering-evidence-of-the-fighting-251-years-later-180988979/Archaeologists Unearth Hundreds of Artifacts at Fort Ticonderoga, the Site of America's First Offensive Victory of the Revolutionary Warhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-hundreds-of-artifacts-at-fort-ticonderoga-the-site-of-americas-first-offensive-victory-of-the-revolutionary-war-180988971/The objects were discovered on Liberty Hill, the place where many Continental Army soldiers heard the text of the Declaration of Independence for the first timeWed, 17 Jun 2026 18:54:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-hundreds-of-artifacts-at-fort-ticonderoga-the-site-of-americas-first-offensive-victory-of-the-revolutionary-war-180988971/For Its Birthday, the U.S. Will Give Americans of the Future a 900-Pound Time Capsule Filled With Art, Natural Treasures and a Clever Copy of the Declaration of Independencehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/indigenous-art-an-eagle-feather-and-a-3d-rendering-of-abraham-lincolns-hand-see-the-items-just-sealed-in-americas-time-capsule-180988973/The capsule was created and filled at the direction of Congress, through the America250 commission. It will be interred beneath an original sculpture on July 4Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:20:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/indigenous-art-an-eagle-feather-and-a-3d-rendering-of-abraham-lincolns-hand-see-the-items-just-sealed-in-americas-time-capsule-180988973/America's 150th Birthday Celebration Was Deemed the Nation's 'Greatest Flop.' What Went Wrong With the Sesquicentennial?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/americas-150th-birthday-celebration-was-deemed-the-nations-greatest-flop-what-went-wrong-with-the-sesquicentennial-180988946/Philadelphia politicians hoped to replicate the success of the 1876 Centennial Exposition. Instead, the 1926 world's fair lost millions of dollars, essentially bankrupting the city on the eve of the Great DepressionTue, 16 Jun 2026 12:57:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/americas-150th-birthday-celebration-was-deemed-the-nations-greatest-flop-what-went-wrong-with-the-sesquicentennial-180988946/You Can Now See Betsy Ross’ Sewing Table in Philadelphia, Thanks to a Flag Day Donation From Her Great-Great-Great-Great Grandsonhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-now-see-betsy-ross-sewing-table-in-philadelphia-thanks-to-a-flag-day-donation-from-her-great-great-great-great-grandson-180988963/The origins of the Stars and Stripes are murky, but generations of Americans have admired stories about Ross creating the first American flagTue, 16 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/you-can-now-see-betsy-ross-sewing-table-in-philadelphia-thanks-to-a-flag-day-donation-from-her-great-great-great-great-grandson-180988963/The Events That Took Place in This Selma, Alabama, Home Were Key to the Civil Rights Movement, and You Can Now Visit Ithttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-events-that-took-place-in-this-selma-alabama-home-were-key-to-the-civil-rights-movement-and-you-can-now-visit-it-180988944/The Jackson family opened their home to civil rights leaders planning the Selma-to-Montgomery march, which led to the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The entire house was recently moved to Greenfield Village at The Henry Ford, in Dearborn, MichiganFri, 12 Jun 2026 13:35:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-events-that-took-place-in-this-selma-alabama-home-were-key-to-the-civil-rights-movement-and-you-can-now-visit-it-180988944/What's Behind Steven Spielberg's Lifelong Obsession With Flying Saucers and Extraterrestrial Visitors?https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/whats-behind-steven-spielbergs-lifelong-obsession-with-flying-saucers-and-extraterrestrial-visitors-180988903/Half a century after "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," the director returns to the subject of UFOs with "Disclosure Day." His science fiction films are informed by his fascination with alien encounters in American suburbiaThu, 11 Jun 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/whats-behind-steven-spielbergs-lifelong-obsession-with-flying-saucers-and-extraterrestrial-visitors-180988903/After the Concept of Peaceful Disobedience Was Established in America, It Traveled Around the World Before Taking Holdhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/concept-peaceful-disobedience-established-america-traveled-world-taking-hold-180988847/“Force may subdue, but love gains”: The Quaker practice of conscientious objection evolved through Thoreau, Tolstoy and Gandhi before becoming the hallmark of the Civil Rights movementThu, 11 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/concept-peaceful-disobedience-established-america-traveled-world-taking-hold-180988847/Workers Dredging the Savannah River Stumbled Upon 19 Cannons That Had Been Underwater Since the Revolutionary Warhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-dredging-the-savannah-river-stumbled-upon-19-cannons-that-had-been-underwater-since-the-revolutionary-war-180988928/The centuries-old artifacts emerged from the riverbed between 2021 and 2022. Experts spent several years carefully restoring 17 of them, which will make their public debut in a new exhibitionWed, 10 Jun 2026 18:13:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-dredging-the-savannah-river-stumbled-upon-19-cannons-that-had-been-underwater-since-the-revolutionary-war-180988928/The Man Who Created a Written Language for the Cherokee Did It So Efficiently and Elegantly, His Peers Thought It Was Magichttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/man-created-written-language-cherokee-did-efficiently-elegantly-peers-thought-magic-180988850/Sequoyah’s syllabary faced suspicion initially, but after a demonstration, his version of “talking leaves” was widely embraced. And then the word spreadWed, 10 Jun 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/man-created-written-language-cherokee-did-efficiently-elegantly-peers-thought-magic-180988850/Woodrow Wilson’s Legacy Is Loaded With Good and Bad, but His Work to Even the Economic Playing Field Is Often Overlookedhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/woodrow-wilson-legacy-loaded-good-bad-work-even-economic-playing-field-often-overlooked-180988853/He won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in ending WWI and strove to improve the plight of American workers. Today, his blind spots shroud most of his accomplishmentsWed, 10 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/woodrow-wilson-legacy-loaded-good-bad-work-even-economic-playing-field-often-overlooked-180988853/Theodore Roosevelt Survived an Assassination Attempt Because a Speech Tucked Inside His Pocket Slowed the Bullet. He Insisted on Delivering His Remarks Anywayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/theodore-roosevelt-survived-an-assassination-attempt-because-a-speech-tucked-inside-his-pocket-slowed-the-bullet-he-insisted-on-delivering-his-remarks-anyway-180988911/"I am very much uninterested in whether I am shot or not," he told an audience in Milwaukee. Newly discovered documents shed light on how the 26th president wanted the incident to shape his legacyTue, 09 Jun 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/theodore-roosevelt-survived-an-assassination-attempt-because-a-speech-tucked-inside-his-pocket-slowed-the-bullet-he-insisted-on-delivering-his-remarks-anyway-180988911/Harriet Beecher Stowe Wrote a Work of Fiction That Seemed So Real That It Changed the History of the Countryhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/harriet-beecher-stowe-wrote-work-fiction-that-seemed-so-real-changed-history-country-180988826/To fight against slavery, the author collected true stories then picked up a pen and distilled them into “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/harriet-beecher-stowe-wrote-work-fiction-that-seemed-so-real-changed-history-country-180988826/America’s Original Travel Influencer Drew Up a Revolutionary Itinerary 200 Years Ago. There’s Still Plenty to See Along the Wayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/americas-original-travel-influencer-drew-up-revolutionary-itinerary-200-years-ago-still-plenty-to-see-180988857/Follow along as we retrace the route one journalist laid out in “The Fashionable Tour,” from New York City to Niagara Falls, when memories of the fight for independence were still freshMon, 08 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/americas-original-travel-influencer-drew-up-revolutionary-itinerary-200-years-ago-still-plenty-to-see-180988857/A Woman’s Right to Vote Was Secured After Work That Was Inspired by Mothers and Driven by Maternal Instinctshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/womans-right-vote-secured-work-inspired-mothers-driven-maternal-instincts-180988828/In a poignant pattern, many of the most important contributions to suffrage were enacted—or inspired—by mothersFri, 05 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/womans-right-vote-secured-work-inspired-mothers-driven-maternal-instincts-180988828/When George Washington Decided It Was Time to Leave Office, He Inadvertently Set a Lasting Precedenthttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/when-george-washington-decided-it-was-time-to-leave-office-he-inadvertently-set-a-lasting-precedent-180988871/While history recorded his refusal to seek a third term as a legendary act of statesmanship, the opinions of the day were actually quite mixed on the issueFri, 05 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/when-george-washington-decided-it-was-time-to-leave-office-he-inadvertently-set-a-lasting-precedent-180988871/During the Revolution, American Women Fought for Freedom, Spied on the British, Cared for the Sick and Fell in Love. A New Exhibition Reveals Their Rich Wartime Storieshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/during-the-revolution-american-women-fought-for-freedom-spied-on-the-british-cared-for-the-sick-and-fell-in-love-a-new-exhibition-reveals-their-rich-wartime-stories-180988887/Now on view at the New York Historical, "Revolutionary Women" spotlights figures with connections to the state, including a Jewish chocolatier, a Mohawk leader and a woman who disguised herself as a man to enlist in the Continental ArmyThu, 04 Jun 2026 12:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/during-the-revolution-american-women-fought-for-freedom-spied-on-the-british-cared-for-the-sick-and-fell-in-love-a-new-exhibition-reveals-their-rich-wartime-stories-180988887/Smithsonian Magazine Presents: America at 250—The Revolutionary Sparkhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-revolutionary-spark-180988782/Celebrating the visionary insights & darling innovators that forged a nation.Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:04:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-revolutionary-spark-180988782/This Remarkable Statue of Liberty Model Made by the Sculptor of the Original Has a New Summer Home at the Smithsonian Castlehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/this-remarkable-statue-of-liberty-model-made-by-the-sculptor-of-the-original-has-a-new-summer-home-at-the-smithsonian-castle-180988885/Artist Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi’s small maquette represents the big ideals of the iconic national monument in New York HarborTue, 02 Jun 2026 17:50:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/this-remarkable-statue-of-liberty-model-made-by-the-sculptor-of-the-original-has-a-new-summer-home-at-the-smithsonian-castle-180988885/See the New Quarter Honoring Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence That Enters Circulation Next Week, Ahead of America’s 250th Birthdayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-new-quarter-honoring-thomas-jefferson-and-the-declaration-of-independence-that-enters-circulation-next-week-ahead-of-americas-250th-birthday-180988843/The design is one of several coin denominations, and the third of five new quarters, made specially for the country’s semiquincentennialFri, 29 May 2026 15:46:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-new-quarter-honoring-thomas-jefferson-and-the-declaration-of-independence-that-enters-circulation-next-week-ahead-of-americas-250th-birthday-180988843/Ona Judge Escaped From Slavery While George Washington Was Busy Eating Dinner Inside. Now, a New Mural Honors Her Legacyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ona-judge-escaped-from-slavery-while-george-washington-was-eating-dinner-inside-now-new-mural-honors-her-legacy-180988851/The artwork in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, shows Judge arriving in the city after her journey from Philadelphia in May 1796. She remained a free woman until her death in 1848Thu, 28 May 2026 20:07:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ona-judge-escaped-from-slavery-while-george-washington-was-eating-dinner-inside-now-new-mural-honors-her-legacy-180988851/In 1776, Angry New Yorkers Tore Down a Statue of George III With a Revolutionary Fervor. A New Exhibition Lets You Do It, Toohttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1776-angry-new-yorkers-tore-down-a-statue-of-george-iii-with-a-revolutionary-fervor-a-new-exhibition-lets-you-do-it-too-180988830/New York City played a pivotal role in the American Revolution. This museum brings the city's 18th-century history to life through artifacts, immersive environments and interactive experiencesWed, 27 May 2026 19:00:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1776-angry-new-yorkers-tore-down-a-statue-of-george-iii-with-a-revolutionary-fervor-a-new-exhibition-lets-you-do-it-too-180988830/Soviet Cosmonauts Trained at Star City as They Raced to Beat America to the Moon. Now, a New TV Series Imagines What Happened Behind the Base's Wallshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/soviet-cosmonauts-trained-at-star-city-as-they-raced-to-beat-america-to-the-moon-now-a-new-tv-series-imagines-what-happened-behind-the-bases-walls-180988823/Apple TV's "Star City" takes place in a world where the space race never came to an end. A spinoff of "For All Mankind," the show is told from the Soviet perspectiveWed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/soviet-cosmonauts-trained-at-star-city-as-they-raced-to-beat-america-to-the-moon-now-a-new-tv-series-imagines-what-happened-behind-the-bases-walls-180988823/Faye Emerson Became the ‘First Lady of Television’ During the Medium’s Early Days. But Her Groundbreaking Success as a Late-Night Host Is Largely Forgotten Todayhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/faye-emerson-became-the-first-lady-of-television-during-the-mediums-early-days-but-her-groundbreaking-success-as-a-late-night-host-is-largely-forgotten-today-180988786/She rose to fame in the mid-20th century with “The Faye Emerson Show” on CBS, interviewing luminaries and speaking directly to viewersFri, 22 May 2026 18:08:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/faye-emerson-became-the-first-lady-of-television-during-the-mediums-early-days-but-her-groundbreaking-success-as-a-late-night-host-is-largely-forgotten-today-180988786/This Jewish Community in the Caribbean Smuggled Gunpowder to the Patriots During the Revolution. A British Admiral Condemned the Island as a 'Nest of Vipers'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/this-jewish-community-in-the-caribbean-smuggled-gunpowder-to-the-patriots-during-the-revolution-a-british-admiral-condemned-the-island-as-a-nest-of-vipers-180988740/A new exhibition at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, in Philadelphia, spotlights the little-known wartime contributions of the Jews of St. EustatiusFri, 22 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/this-jewish-community-in-the-caribbean-smuggled-gunpowder-to-the-patriots-during-the-revolution-a-british-admiral-condemned-the-island-as-a-nest-of-vipers-180988740/