American History
Inside JFK's Secret Doomsday Bunker
The president's Nantucket nuclear fallout shelter could become a National Historic Landmark—but efforts to preserve its history have stalled
Before Folding 30 Years Ago, the Sears Catalog Sold Some Surprising Products
The retail giant’s mail-order business reigned supreme for more than a century, offering everything from quack cures to ready-to-build homes
Jill Biden's Inaugural Attire Is on View at the Smithsonian
The day and evening ensembles are now the centerpiece of the American History Museum's popular "First Ladies" exhibition
Disney’s Controversial Splash Mountain Ride Has Officially Closed
Come 2024, the attraction—inspired by the racist 1946 movie "Song of the South"—will be reimagined as Tiana's Bayou Adventure
When Lyndon B. Johnson Chose the Middle Ground on Civil Rights—and Disappointed Everyone
Always a dealmaker, then-senator LBJ negotiated with segregationists to pass a bill that cautiously advanced racial equality
David Crosby, Folk-Rock Legend, Dies at 81
The counterculture icon was a founding member of the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash
Once a Floating Speakeasy, This Shipwreck Tells a Tale of Bullets and Booze
The "Keuka" sank in 1932, just three years after its grand opening as a dance hall, roller rink and illicit party boat
Why the Union Army Had So Many Boy Soldiers
A new book unearths the startling numbers behind underage enlistment during the Civil War
Twenty-Three Smithsonian Shows to See in 2023
A rare Bible, George Clinton's colorful wig, Disney World history and Japanese ghosts debut this year
Florida High School Cancels 'Indecent,' a Play About Censorship on Broadway in 1923
Free speech groups—and playwright Paula Vogel—are condemning the school board's decision
The Tudor Roots of Modern Billionaires' Philanthropy
The debate over how to manage the wealthy's fortunes after their deaths traces its roots to Henry VIII and Elizabeth I
How a New York Tabloid Captured the First Photo of an Execution by the Electric Chair
In January 1928, Tom Howard of the "Daily News" smuggled a camera into Sing Sing, where he snapped a picture of Ruth Snyder’s final moments
This Congressman Was Sworn Into Office With Rare Superman Comic
California’s Robert Garcia says the superhero embodies values like truth and justice
How the Myth of the American Frontier Got Its Start
Frederick Jackson Turner’s thesis informed decades of scholarship and culture. Then he realized he was wrong
A Look Back at the First Time the Smithsonian Castle Closed for Renovations
In February, the building will shutter for five years for much-needed improvements
Toni Morrison's Rarely Seen Papers Will Go on View at Princeton
The university is planning a months-long series of exhibitions, programs and performances
How History Forgot Rosewood, a Black Town Razed by a White Mob
A century ago, a false accusation sparked the destruction of the Florida community
Henrietta Lacks' Virginia Hometown Will Build Statue in Her Honor, Replacing Robert E. Lee Monument
Lacks' unique cancer cells were taken without consent and used for medical breakthroughs
Three Pioneering Scholars Who Died This Year
They believed that the stories of marginalized communities were worth chronicling
These Works Are Now in the Public Domain
The latest additions are a rich trove of books, films, songs and other works from 1927
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