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Sports

Paul Robeson, photographed by Alfredo Valente in 1940.

Remembering Paul Robeson, Actor, Sportsman and Leader

Among other things, Robeson transformed one of history’s most famous showtunes into a protest song

“One of the great things we can do at this museum is ask those questions and think about the larger significance of sports and African-Americans," says curator Damion Thomas.

Breaking Ground

Stories of Sports Champions in the African American History Museum Prove the Goal Posts Were Set Higher

The sports exhibition delves into the lost, forgotten or denied history of the heroes on the field

A Sonic Boom drum major dashes across the field.

March to the Joyous, Raucous Beat of the Sonic Boom of the South

College football seasons come and go, but the joyous thunder of Jackson State’s iconic marching band rolls on

A VR image from behind the net in last week's Cleveland Cavaliers-Milwaukee Bucks game.

Why Basketball Is The Perfect Sport for Virtual Reality

James Naismith invented basketball on this day in 1891. He couldn’t have seen VR coming

The highlight of the Innoskate Cambridge 2016 program with 1,500 attending the two-day program was the best trick contest.

The Innovative Spirit fy17

What Skateboarding Tells Us About Innovation

Rodney Mullen, the godfather of skateboarding, says the sport is all about overcoming disbelief and seeking new connections

Chaunté Lowe, who placed sixth in the high jump in the 2008 Beijing Games, is now a bronze medalist

Trending Today

New Doping Tests Are Turning Past Runners-Up Into Olympic Medalists

Over 75 medal winners from the 2008 and 2012 games have been busted for doping, scrambling the Olympic record books

Trending Today

This Is What the World Looked Like the Last Time the Cubs Won the World Series

Here are 10 ways life was different in 1908

Hank Aaron and Ernie Banks before a game at Wrigley Field, 1957

If Only Ernie Had Seen It. Here’s Why “Mr. Cub” Is Part of the 2016 World Series Win

From Smithsonian Books, a treasure of baseball history for those who can’t wait for spring training

For nearly a decade, scuba divers have been going to the Finger Lakes to carve pumpkins underwater.

Underwater Pumpkin Carving Among the Wrecks in New York’s Finger Lakes

Just in time for Halloween, scuba divers test their Jack-o-lantern-making skills

Ask Smithsonian: What’s the Longest You Can Hold Your Breath?

A dive into the science shows it is possible to override the system

Fans cheer for Team Korea at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

New Research

Athletes Rejoice: Study Shows Sex Before Competitions Is Probably Fine

There’s no evidence that getting down and dirty before sporting events has negative effects—and it may have benefits

Dwight Eisenhower and Arnold Palmer smile before a round of golf at the Gettysburg Country Club in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in 1960.

Trending Today

How Arnold Palmer and President Eisenhower Made Golf the Post-War Pastime

The charismatic, working-class golfer and beloved president made golf the sport of elites and middle-class duffers for a generation

Celtic Shores, Nova Scotia.

Canada

Canada Is Building a Trail That Measures Almost 15,000 Miles

In 2017, the world’s longest trail will finally be complete

River tracing is a popular way to experience the great outdoors in Taiwan.

Trace a Watery Path Through Taiwan’s Lush Landscape

There’s a reason river tracing has become the country’s newest adventure craze

Babe Ruth pitching for the Boston Red Sox

Cool Finds

This Digital Collection of Babe Ruth’s Scrapbooks Is a Piece of Home Run History

The Baseball Hall of Fame is sharing its collection with the internet

Now, Let the “Olympics” of Sports Startups Begin

Eight companies from around the world specializing in athletics will compete in Rio de Janeiro for a 100,000 Euro prize

The Olympics' highest honor is named for Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games

Cool Finds

This Olympic Medal Is Even Harder to Win Than the Gold

The International Olympic Committee values sportsmanship above all else

Jackie Joyner-Kersee by Gregory Heisler, 1988

Commentary

Why We Have to Play Catch-up Collecting the Portraits of Female Athletes

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery is setting its sights on the future

Scenes from the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

The Paris Olympics

The Rise of the Modern Sportswoman

Women have long fought against the assumption that they are weaker than men, and the battle isn’t over yet

A few of the Olympians pose for a photo upon their return to the U.S. after the 1936 Games. In the back row, on the far right is Tidye PIckett and third from the left is Louise Stokes.

The Paris Olympics

Sports History Forgot About Tidye Pickett and Louise Stokes, Two Black Olympians Who Never Got Their Shot

Thanks to the one-two punch of racism and sexism, these two women were shut out of the hero’s treatment given to other athletes

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