American Women's History Initiative
This Chinese American Aviatrix Overcame Racism to Fly for the U.S. During World War II
A second-generation immigrant, Hazel Ying Lee was the first Chinese American woman to receive her pilot's license
Why the Daughter of an American Archaeologist Sent Her Father's Collection to Peru
Unlike many of his peers, John Howland Rowe viewed the country as a source of partnership, not a laboratory to play in
This Play Within a Play Confronts the Power Dynamic Between Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson
In "Sally & Tom," Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks continues her investigation of American myths
Pioneering Artist Faith Ringgold Stitched Together Stories of Black Life
The Harlem-born painter, who died this week at age 93, elevated the everyday lives of Black Americans and fought for representation in major museums
Why Debutantes Volunteered to Be Horse-Riding Couriers in Rural Kentucky
Between the 1920s and 1940s, wealthy young women signed up to run errands and carry messages for the Frontier Nursing Service, whose nurse-midwives provided care to patients in hard-to-reach areas
Five Museums Unveil Audio Guides Celebrating Lesser-Known Women Artists
The project—titled Museums Without Men—debuted in the U.S. and the U.K. during Women's History Month
The All-Woman Secret Society That Paved the Way for Modern Feminism
Based in Greenwich Village, Heterodoxy had just one requirement for membership: An applicant must "not be orthodox in her opinion"
The True History Behind Netflix's 'Shirley' Movie
A new film dramatizes Shirley Chisholm's history-making bid to become the first Black woman president in 1972
When Amelia Earhart and the 'Queen of Diamonds' Raced to Become the First Woman to Fly Across the Atlantic
Mabel Boll, a wealthy New York socialite, dreamed of making aviation history. But Earhart beat her to the finish line, completing the trans-Atlantic journey as a passenger in June 1928
From the Inventor of Mass-Market Paper Bags to a Scientist Who Unraveled the Mysteries of Polio, Meet Five American Women Whose Remarkable Achievements Have Long Been Overlooked
The inaugural exhibition at the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum seeks to shine light on lesser-known historical figures
The Forgotten Sisters Behind 'Happy Birthday to You'
Mildred and Patty Hill wrote the popular song's melody, but their contributions to American culture have long been overlooked
How the Memory of a Song Reunited Two Women Separated by the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
In 1990, scholars found a Sierra Leonean woman who remembered a nearly identical version of a tune passed down by a Georgia woman’s enslaved ancestors
The Founder of This Trailblazing Opera Company Put Black Singers at Center Stage
Mary Cardwell Dawson created unprecedented opportunities for aspiring Black musicians
The True Story of Pocahontas Is More Complicated Than You Might Think
Historian Camilla Townsend separates fact from fiction in the life of the Powhatan "princess"
How the Smithsonian Is Helping Black Americans Trace Their Roots
Free sessions hosted by the National Museum of African American History and Culture offer visitors advice on researching their genealogy
The Real History Behind 'Feud: Capote vs. the Swans'
Ryan Murphy's new mini-series dramatizes the "In Cold Blood" author's betrayal of an insular group of Manhattan socialites
How the Women of the North Platte Canteen Fed Six Million Soldiers During World War II
Volunteers based out of a Nebraska train station offered American troops encouragement and free food, including birthday cakes and popcorn balls
What the Color Purple Means to Oprah Winfrey
A new Shawn Michael Warren portrait of the legendary talk show host is now on view at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery
Unraveling Ulysses S. Grant's Complex Relationship With Slavery
The Union general directly benefited from the brutal institution before and during the Civil War
How Sandra Day O’Connor Brought Compromise to the Supreme Court
The first woman justice to serve on the nation's highest court died on Friday at age 93
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