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Saint Suttle and Gertie Brown embrace in the 1898 film 'Something Good-Negro Kiss.'

Found: The Earliest Cinematic Depiction of a Black Couple Kissing

The recently surfaced 19th-century nitrate print has been inducted into the Library of Congress

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Forty Years Ago, 12.6 Million Feet of History Went Up in Smoke

Remembering the fire at a National Archives film vault that destroyed years worth of flammable nitrate film newsreels

The Most Beautiful Time of Life (Die Schönste Zeit des Lebens), as adapted from the manuscript found at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum archive

Listen Live: The First Public Performance of Music by Auschwitz I Men’s Orchestra Since the War

A University of Michigan scholar unearthed the musical manuscript penned by three Polish prisoners in the archives of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

When Churchill Dissed America

Our exclusive first look at the diaries of King George VI reveals the Prime Minister’s secret hostility to the United States

Gelatin silver print of Theodore Roosevelt. Dimensions: Mount: 9 × 17.9 cm (3 9/16 × 7 1/16")

Library of Congress Digitizes Its Huge Trove of Teddy Roosevelt Papers

Among the thousands of documents is a letter containing the first use of the president’s famed maxim: ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick’

Angelina Eberley fires off the cannon at the agents attempting to move the archives from her hometown of Austin.

The Fascinating Story of the Texas Archives War of 1842

Far from consequential, the battle over where the papers of the Republic of Texas should reside reminds us of the politics of historical memory

An authentic copy of a letter written by Christopher Columbus as displayed at the Vatican. The United States is returning to the Vatican Library a letter written by Christopher Columbus in 1493 announcing his discovery of the New World that was stolen and replaced with a forgery.

Stolen Christopher Columbus Letter Returned to Vatican, But Mystery Persists

The letter, which had been printed in 1493, was replaced with a convincing fake—and investigators still don’t know who committed the crime

Harold Washington, the first black mayor of Chicago chats to Congressional candidate Charles Hayes. The woman on Washington's right, who was cropped out of the photo, is Carol Moseley Braun; she would go on to become the first African-American woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate.

The Archives of Historic Black Newspapers Are Going Digital

The Obsidian Collection is collaborating with Google Arts & Culture to ensure the journalism is preserved for many years to come

Woodrow Wilson at his desk in the Oval Office c. 1913.

World War I: 100 Years Later

Woodrow Wilson’s Papers Go Digital, Leaving Microfiche Behind

This increased accessibility of Wilson’s papers coincides with a new wave of interest in the 28th president

An artist’s illustration of a black hole “eating” a star.

Big Data is Transforming How Astronomers Make Discoveries

The next game-changer is likely lurking in the data we already have—but it will take scientists years to uncover it

Official cover art for "The Fall of Gondolin"

One of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Earliest Middle-Earth Stories Will Be Published as a Novel

The author wanted to transform ‘The Fall of Gondolin’ into a book, but never finished the text before his death

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The Hottest Place to Play Retro Handheld Computer Games? Try the Internet Archive

A new project hopes to save vintage technology before it is gone forever by preserving playable versions of your favorite old-school games

USGS Shares Archival Photo of Rare Domed Lava Fountain

The unusual phenomenon occurred in the midst of a five-year eruption on Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano

The King and Queen of Hearts wave from their parade float to crowds gathered for D.C. Capital Pride 2014. The next year, the Academy of Washington waved farewell after 54 years of service to the D.C. community.

These Newly Donated Artifacts Capture the Spirit of Washington, D.C. Drag

Mementos from the Academy of Washington drag organization add a valuable thread to the tapestry of American LGBTQ history

Can you spot Sheila?

Women Who Shaped History

How Smithsonian Helped Solve the Twitter Mystery of the Unknown Woman Scientist

Sheila Minor was a biological research technician who went on to a 35-year-long scientific career

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See Rare Images Depicting Life, Work at the White House

A team of librarians at the White House Historical Association are digitizing 25,000 behind-the-scenes photographs from 1962 to 1987

Fragments of Famed ‘UFO’ Discovered in Archives of London Museum

Though experts deemed it a hoax, the ‘Silpho Saucer’ created a sensation when it was discovered in the 1950s

Gilbert Stuart Williamstown Portrait of George Washington

Lock of Washington’s Hair Found in 18th-Century Almanac

It was once common practice to give away locks of hair as gifts and keepsakes

The Museum at FIT tweeted about its "Black Fashion Designers" exhibition drawn from its permanent collection.

In Honor of Black History Month, Cultural Institutions Are Sharing Archival Treasures

The best of the U.S. National Archive’s #ArchivesBlackHistory

Arthur Miller in his study, Roxbury, Connecticut, 1987.

Arthur Miller’s Vast Archive Comes to the University of Texas at Austin

The collection includes a wealth of material, from theatrical manuscripts to personal memorabilia

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