![The New Jersey Morning Call said Billy Possum had “a head that is likely to give a baby [a] nightmare.”](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/C_ChOJDb93Bxfo23E_V2_PBylcs=/450x300/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/59/ef/59ef4b94-0d85-4b9a-90d1-c49db418433c/billy-possum.jpg)
How a Stuffed Animal Named Billy Possum Tried—and Failed—to Replace the Teddy Bear as America’s National Toy
In 1909, wealthy widow Susie W. Allgood marketed a plush marsupial inspired by President William Howard Taft. But children thought the toy looked “too much like a rat,” and it sold poorly
Discover How President Theodore Roosevelt Inspired the World’s First Teddy Bear, Which Went on Sale on This Day in 1903
The unlikely origin story of the beloved children’s toy involves a hunting expedition in Onward, Mississippi, and a president who wanted to be a good sportsman
Untold Stories of American History
Born Enslaved, This Black Millionaire Attempted to Colonize Mexico and Aspired to Be the Emperor of Ethiopia
William Henry Ellis masqueraded as a Mexican businessman, but he never shied away from his Black roots
On This Day in 1906, a Nobel Prize Was Awarded to an American for the First Time for Ending a War on the Other Side of the Globe
It was immediately controversial that President Theodore Roosevelt, famous for vigorous military interventions, was the first statesman to win the Peace Prize
How a Dead Seal Sparked Theodore Roosevelt’s Lifelong Passion for Conservation
As a child, the future president acquired a marine animal’s skull, which became the first specimen in his natural history collection
The History of Presidential Assassination Attempts, From Andrew Jackson to Teddy Roosevelt
Before last weekend’s attack on Donald Trump, would-be assassins unsuccessfully targeted Ronald Reagan, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and seven other sitting presidents or candidates for office
Theodore Roosevelt’s Long-Lost Pocket Watch Surfaces at a Florida Auction House
Thieves stole the timepiece, a gift from the president’s sister, from an unlocked display case in 1987
Untold Stories of American History
This Peaceful Nature Sanctuary in Washington, D.C. Sits on the Ruins of a Plantation
Before Theodore Roosevelt Island was transformed into a tribute to the nation’s “conservation president,” a prominent Virginia family relied on enslaved laborers to build and tend to its summer home there
Newly Discovered Papers From President McKinley’s Assassination Are for Sale
The archive belonged to Herman Matzinger, who performed the autopsy on the 25th president and conducted a bacteriological analysis to rule out the possibility of poison-tipped bullets
The Teddy Bear Was Once Seen as a Dangerous Influence on Young Children
Inspired by a moment of empathy from President Theodore Roosevelt, the huggable toy had a rocky start before it became the stuff of legend
Untold Stories of American History
How the U.S. Almost Became a Nation of Hippo Ranchers
In 1910, a failed House bill sought to increase the availability of low-cost meat by importing hippopotamuses that would be killed to make “lake cow bacon”
Teddy Roosevelt’s Perilous Expedition on the Amazon
The dangerous—yet victorious—trip wouldn’t have been possible without Cândido Rondon, an icon of Brazilian history
A Brief History of White House Weddings
Naomi Biden’s nuptials will mark the 19th wedding held at the presidential seat of power
From a White House Wedding to a Pet Snake, Alice Roosevelt’s Escapades Captivated America
Theodore Roosevelt’s eldest daughter won the public’s adoration with her rebellious antics
What Extreme Flooding in Yellowstone Means for the National Park’s Gateway Towns
These communities rely almost entirely on tourism for their existence—yet too much tourism, not to mention climate change, can destroy them
Untold Stories of American History
The Black Buffalo Soldiers Who Biked Across the American West
In 1897, the 25th Infantry Regiment Bicycle Corps embarked on a 1,900-mile journey from Montana to Missouri
A Colorful History of Cats in the White House
Willow Biden isn’t the first feline to grace the presidential residence’s halls
Controversial Teddy Roosevelt Statue Will Be Moved From NYC to North Dakota
The equestrian monument will leave the steps of the American Museum of Natural History, finding a new home at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library
The Unrealized Promise of Oklahoma
How the push for statehood led a beacon of racial progress to oppression and violence
Theodore Roosevelt’s North Dakota and 27 Other Smithsonian Programs Streaming in March
Multi-part courses, studio arts classes and virtual study tours produced by the world’s largest museum-based educational program
Page 1 of 3