Immigrants
After 150 Years, Levi's 501 Blue Jeans Are Still Kicking
The iconic garment began as a practical piece of clothing for miners to wear during long, difficult shifts
The Shipwrecked Teenager Who Helped End Japan's Isolationist Era
Rescued by an American sea captain, Manjiro spent time abroad before returning home, where he was valued for his expertise but never fully trusted
The Woman Who Saved the Statue of Liberty
Georgina Schuyler campaigned for Emma Lazarus' "The New Colossus" to be inscribed on a plaque in the monument's pedestal
Untold Stories of American History
How the Fight for Birthright Citizenship Shaped the History of Asian American Families
Even after Wong Kim Ark successfully took his case to the Supreme Court 125 years ago, Asian Americans struggled to receive recognition as U.S. citizens
What Is Paczki Day?
The Fat Tuesday tradition centered around eating fried, filled Polish pastries is celebrated across the Midwest, but especially in Chicago
Shipwreck Carrying Rare 19th-Century Ceramics Gets Government Protection
The British emigrant vessel sank with a cargo of Victorian pottery on board
This Congressman Was Sworn Into Office With Rare Superman Comic
California’s Robert Garcia says the superhero embodies values like truth and justice
Cache of 19th-Century Blue Jeans Discovered in Abandoned Arizona Mineshaft
The seven pairs of pants open a portal into life in the Castle Dome mining district
Untold Stories of American History
Why Was America So Reluctant to Take Action on the Holocaust?
A new Ken Burns documentary examines the U.S.' complex, often shameful response to the rise of Nazism and the plight of Jewish refugees
The First Chinese Restaurant in America Has a Savory—and Unsavory—History
Venture into the Montana eatery, once a gambling den and opium repository, that still draws a crowd
A Makeshift Raft Speaks to the Risks Cubans Took to Escape Their Homeland
In the mid-1990s, tens of thousands left in boats or handcrafted floats facing treacherous waters in search of a better life
Untold Stories of American History
The Holocaust-Era Comic That Brought Americans Into the Nazi Gas Chambers
In early 1945, a six-panel comic in a U.S. pamphlet offered a visceral depiction of the Third Reich's killing machine
Grace Young, Who Documented the Toll of Anti-Asian Hate on NYC's Chinatown, Receives Julia Child Award
A $50,000 grant is awarded to the culinary historian for her advocacy of Chinese-American culture and cuisine
Denver Apologizes for Anti-Chinese Riot of 1880
A white mob terrorized residents and murdered a man, but the city never punished the perpetrators
These Artworks Reimagine the Legacy of the African Diaspora
A new exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. showcases 130 works by artists from 24 countries
The Man Who Walked Around the World, Collecting the Autographs of the Rich and Famous
In the early 1900s, Joseph Mikulec traveled some 175,000 miles on foot, gathering 60,000 signatures in a leather-bound album that is now up for sale
Untold Stories of American History
What Archaeologists Are Learning About the Lives of the Chinese Immigrants Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad
In the sparse Utah desert, the vital contributions of these 19th-century laborers are finally coming to light
Studio Executives Did Not Want Marlon Brando for the Title Role in 'The Godfather'
On the film's 50th anniversary, a Smithsonian historian reflects on the cultural phenomenon of the blockbuster hit
Fish Bones Found in Razed California Chinatown Reveal Complex 19th-Century Trade Network
DNA analysis suggests the Chinese immigrants' supply chain stretched to Southeast Asia
The Fascinating—and Harrowing—Tale of the First Japanese American to Publish a Book of Fiction
After his incarceration during WWII, Toshio Mori released a collection of short stories based on his experiences as a second generation Asian immigrant
