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Journalism

From manifest destiny to Santa Claus, newspaper editorials have captured the country's attention throughout history.

Top 10 Unforgettable Editorials

These editorial voices rose above the America clamor with words we will never forget

The Journal-American newsroom typified its time: crowded, messy and organized—like the floor of a factory—to get the news out as quickly as possible.

The Newsroom Rush of Old

Newsrooms may look different today, but their need for speed never wavers

Michelle Nijius is a science and environmental journalist. She is the author of "The Cahaba: A River of Riches."

Michelle Nijhuis on “River of Riches”

Sylvia Pagán Westphal is the author of "High Hopes for a New Kind of Gene."

Sylvia Pagán Westphal on “High Hopes for a New Kind of Gene”

Elizabeth Rusch is the author of "Catching a Wave."

Elizabeth Rusch on “Catching a Wave”

Arthur Lubow is the author of "On the March."

Arthur Lubow on “On the March”

Richard Conniff has been writing for Smithsonian magazine since 1982. His latest work is titled, "Swimming with Piranhas at Feeding Time: My Life Doing Dumb Stuff with Animals."

Richard Conniff’s Wildlife Writing

International journalist Richard Conniff has reported on animals that fly, swim, crawl and leap in his 40 years of writing

Barbara Ehrenreich, author of "Up Close at Carnival."

Barbara Ehrenreich on “Up Close at Carnival”

Barbara Ehrenreich on “Up Close at Carnival”

David Frost (Michael Sheen) interviews Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) in "Frost/Nixon."

Frost, Nixon and Me

Author James Reston Jr. discovers firsthand what is gained and lost when history is turned into entertainment

The National Archives at Kew

Rewriting History in Great Britain

Recently uncovered documents in the British archives reveal dark secrets from World War II. One problem: they are forgeries

Author of "Munich at 850," Charles Michener

Charles Michener on “Munich at 850”

Andrew Curry is a professional journalist based in Germany with degrees in international relations and Russian and East European studies and is a contributing editor to Archaeology magazine. You can find more of his work at www.andrewcurry.com.

Andrew Curry on “The World’s First Temple?”

Smithsonian magazine staff writer and author of "One Man's Korean War."

Abigail Tucker on “One Man’s Korean War”

A beach in Tayrona National Park, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast.

Colombia Dispatch 1: Revisiting Colombia

Journalist Kenneth Fletcher returns to Colombia to investigate how the government and its people hope to rise above their problematic past

Children pose for the camera in El Pozon, a slum on the outskirts of Cartagena.

Colombia Dispatch 2: The Slums of El Pozon

In a vast impoverished neighborhood near the Caribbean coast, Colombians invade vacant lots hoping to become landowners

Hector Salgado shovels sand in his yard while his girlfriend, Marisol Cardales Berrio, laughs.

Colombia Dispatch 3: The Pedro Romero Program

The government’s attempts to battle poverty reach communities of refugees from violence in the countryside

Students at Palenque’s Batata Dance and Music School perform a traditional dance with African roots.

Colombia Dispatch 4: Palenque: An Afro-Colombian Community

Four hundred years ago, escaped slaves formed Palenque. Today, the Colombian town celebrates its African roots

The new Kogi village of Dumingueka.

Colombia Dispatch 5: The Kogi Way of Life

Hidden in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, a Kogi village built with government support combines modernity with ancient traditions

Cesar Lopez and cellist Sandra Parra perform in Bogota with his “escopetarra” at the launch of Colombia’s 2008 peace week

Colombia Dispatch 7: Turning Guns into Guitars

Musician Cesar Lopez invented a new type of guitar, made from the shell of an automatic weapon

Women assemble tagua jewelry at the Tagueria in Bogota.

Colombia Dispatch 8: The Tagua Industry

Sometimes called “vegetable ivory,” tagua is a white nut that grows in Colombia that is making a comeback as a commodity worth harvesting

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