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American History

Dalton Trumbo was one of the "Hollywood 10" who were arrested for refusing to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. He was later blacklisted from working in the industry.

The Columnist Who Shaped Hollywood’s Most Destructive Witch Hunt

Billy Wilkerson’s complicated legacy has only been recently discussed by the magazine he founded

A member of the 9th Cavalry circa 1890.

Three Things to Know About the Buffalo Soldiers

These segregated regiments offered black soldiers a chance to fight for their rights

The moment of impact when the trains exploded. Later, members of the audience rushed forward to collect pieces of the smoldering ruin.

A Train Company Crashed Two Trains. You Will Believe What Happened Next

When a Texas railway agent came up with a new marketing scheme, he had no idea how explosive it would be

The WP-3D Orion "Hurricane Hunters" are a key part of NOAA's hurricane toolkit.

Why Does NOAA Still Send Pilots Into Hurricanes?

The first “Hurricane Hunter” flight was a bet, but today they’re an essential part of risk management

The United States's version of the Imperial system is based on an older British version.

America Has Been Struggling With the Metric System For More Than 200 Years

The United States is the one of the world’s only holdouts at this point, but it could have been the first country outside of France to adopt the system

Amelia Ceja is breaking boundaries at Ceja Vineyards, which was founded by Amelia, Pedro, Armando and Martha Ceja.

Food, Glorious Food

¡Salud! to the Mexican-American Wine Revolution

Ceja Vineyards breathes new life into Napa Valley’s wine industry

Firemen fight to control blazing buildings in Detroit on July 25, 1967. The city was filled with gunfire, looting and police officers for five days that July.

Understanding Detroit’s 1967 Upheaval 50 Years Later

For five days in July, the Motor City was under siege from looters and soldiers alike

The dead letter office circa 1922. The contents of unresolvable dead letters and packages are periodically sold off by the USPS.

A Brief History of American Dead Letter Offices

The United States postal system was established on this day in 1775, and mail started going “dead” very soon after

Angelenos wearing smog masks at a banquet, circa 1954.

This 1943 “Hellish Cloud” Was the Most Vivid Warning of LA’s Smog Problems to Come

Southern California–and LA in particular–continue to struggle with smog

Jung's interest in the subconscious was a driving force in his work.

Five Fascinating Facts About Carl Jung

He thought he was two people (sort of) and more things you didn’t know about the pioneering psychologist

Henry Ford and Mohandas Gandhi exchanged tokens of mutual admiration during World War II.

The Unlikely Bromance Between Henry Ford and Mohandas Gandhi

Both men had complicated ideologies but bonded over pacifism

Why Hospitals Started Displaying Newborn Babies Through Windows

How peering at babies through glass became a feel-good staple of American maternity wards

The First Presidential Wife to Be Called the First Lady

Dolley Madison, the First Lady of president James Madison was a Jackie Kennedy of her time

Opening of Sears Department Store

The Rise and Fall of Sears

How the retail store that taught America how to shop navigated more than a century of economic and cultural change

The fairground ride parallels a medieval training game for mounted fighters.

The Dizzy History of Carousels Begins With Knights

Practice makes perfect–but nobody said it couldn’t be fun

Portrait of Florence Thompson, aged 32, that was part of Lange's "Migrant Mother" series. Lange's notes detailed that the family had "seven hungry children," including the one pictured here. " Nipomo, California, circa 1936.

Meet 10 Depression-Era Photographers Who Captured the Struggle of Rural America

Two women and eight men were sent out with their cameras in 1930s America. What they brought back was an indelible record of a period of struggle

This 1861 cartoon of the Bull Run battlefield includes a portrayal of watching House members and "ladies as spectators."

Was the First Battle of Bull Run Really ‘The Picnic Battle’?

Yep. But it was anything but frivolous

Ask Smithsonian 2017

Where Did the Term “Gerrymander” Come From?

Elbridge Gerry was a powerful voice in the founding of the nation, but today he’s best known for the political practice with an amphibious origin

That yellow logo? A Dalí original, every one.

From Melting Clocks to Lollipops, Salvador Dalí Left His Mark on the Visual World

The Surrealist artist’s “pure, vertical, mystical love of cash” led him to advertising

Yes, the Amazon service is named after this robotic guy.

Debunking the Mechanical Turk Helped Set Edgar Allan Poe on the Path to Mystery Writing

Like many others, Poe was certain the machine couldn’t be playing chess under its own power

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