Our Native Daughters is a group of four renowned black musicians determined to tell their own history through folk music. The result is a musical work that exudes power and truth.

Sneak Peek: Reclaiming History: Our Native Daughters (1:27)

The power behind the music of Our Native Daughters comes from giving voice to the struggles of those who came before us—and few have struggled to be heard as much as black women.

Elevating the Forgotten Histories of Black Women Through Folk Music (2:38)

The sinking of the Titanic and the ensuing loss of life was horrific enough to prompt major action. In 1914, 16 nations formed an international patrol to scour the oceans for icebergs.

The Sunken Titanic Led to Iceberg Patrols in the Atlantic (2:34)

In the early 20th century, the medical establishment became fixated with the idea that gay people could be “cured.” To achieve this, they turned to a litany of brutal practices: from electrotherapy to lobotomies.

What It Was Like to Be Gay During WWII (3:33)

Inveraray Castle is home to one of the most important private collections of historical archives in all of Britain—a collection of records, documents and diaries, dating back to the 13th century. The restoration of the private archival documents is a gradual, painstaking and expensive process. In fact, a single damaged page can cost up to a hundred pounds to repair.

Inveraray Castle: An Ancient Archive Treasure Trove (2:37)

Northumberland is one of Britain’s most historic regions, an archaeological treasure trove of impressive buildings that date back to the Roman conquest: From Hadrian’s Wall to the Vindolanda Fort.

Britain's Amazing Roman Structures That You Can Visit (2:15)

In 1938, a German-Jewish businessman, Benno Thorsch, traded his camera factory in Dresden for a new life in Detroit and, later, Los Angeles. With the rise of the Third Reich, it was a move that almost certainly saved his family’s life from the Nazis. And as a young boy, Steven Spielberg would even visit the camera shop in Studio City, California.

L.A. Welcomes a Camera Maker Fleeing Nazis (1:37)

The Orkneys, an archipelago of islands off the northern coast of Scotland, are home to some of the greatest neolithic treasures in western Europe: from the settlement of Skara Brae to the Ness of Brodgar.

Scotland's Most Mysterious Stone Age Settlements (2:11)

In 1619, George Yeardley, the newly appointed governor of Jamestown, made history: He convened 22 elected members of a burgeoning commonwealth, creating the first democratic assembly in America.

Was a Jamestown Governor the Father of U.S. Democracy? (1:57)

Pyramids were supposed to be royal burial sites, crammed with unimaginable treasures. And yet they were built to be as conspicuous as possible, attracting the attention of grave robbers.

Why Pyramids Were Effective Advertisements for Tomb Robbers (2:48)

The water torture cell escape was arguably Houdini’s most memorable stunt. So much so that many people wrongly assume it killed him–a myth invented by the 1953 movie about his life starring Tony Curtis.

This Dangerous Trick Wowed Houdini’s Fans (3:49)

To soar over Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire is to be transported back in time to the age of William Shakespeare, a man born in humble circumstances who would go on to become the most celebrated writer of all time.

Stratford-upon-Avon Is a Magnet for Shakespeare Lovers (2:37)

In 1536, Thomas Cromwell spotted an opportunity to enrich his master, Henry VIII, and further increase his own standing: the dissolution of the monasteries and claiming their wealth for the Crown.

Thomas Cromwell: Henry VIII's Partner in Crime (4:11)

Hours after the Titanic sank, news organizations latched onto a telegraph message that seemed to say that the ship and all its passengers had been rescued. It would turn out to be a tragic case of fake news.

How the Titanic Sinking Became Fake News (1:27)

An incredible trove of archaeological artifacts has been unearthed once again at Saqqara—including 100 coffins, and incredibly rare statues dating back 4,500 years.

New Discoveries at Saqqara (3:06)

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was spearheaded by one of the most dominant fighter planes in the Pacific: the ultra-light, extremely maneuverable Mitsubishi A6M "Zero."

This Japanese Fighter Plane Led the Attack on Pearl Harbor (3:07)

Gemini 8 was in trouble. After completing the first space docking with another craft, it begins to spin uncontrollably. Ditching protocol, commanding officer Neil Armstrong tries an unorthodox plan.

How Neil Armstrong Saved the Gemini 8 Spacecraft (3:20)

Despite the fact that it’s over 5,000 years old, Maeshowe, Orkney's answer to Stonehenge, is in amazing shape. But why did Neolithic Britons go to such great lengths to build it?

This 5,000-Year-Old Tomb Is Spectacularly Preserved (2:54)

Clues into the disappearance of the ancient Picts lie in the tiny Scottish village of Aberlemno: 1,700-year-old Pictish stones, marked with some very unusual carvings.

These Mesmerizing Carvings Tell a Mysterious Tribe's Story (4:04)

Under exuberant coach, Knute Rockne, Notre Dame set the standards for football excellence. But off the field, the Fighting Irish was a PR sensation, capturing the hearts of a riveted nation.

The Architect of Notre Dame's Astounding Football Success (3:16)

How did a god fearing church-goer like Lizzie Borden become a suspect in the gruesome crime of the century? Her inconsistent account, and an eerie nonchalance, immediately damaged her credibility with investigators.

How Lizzie Borden Became the Main Suspect in Her Family’s Murder (1:52)

In 1896, Thomas Edison set off to a remote Canadian district near the Alaska border, with cameras in tow. He succeeded in capturing fascinating images of the prospectors brought in by the Gold Rush.

Thomas Edison's Stunning Footage of the Klondike Gold Rush (2:02)

Fannie Lou Hamer, a voting rights activist, suffered unspeakable violence and intimidation at the hands of white supremacists and police. Her response: to elevate her cause by launching a long-shot campaign for the U.S. Senate

Fannie Lou Hamer Risked Her Life for the Right to Vote (4:15)

The Black Death of 1348 was a devastating event, wiping out half the population of Britain. And in churches like this one, drawings on the wall provide a haunting visual record of the scale of the tragedy.

This Church Has an Eerie Visual Record of the Black Death (2:53)

What role does the media play in the fight for freedom and equality? And what role should it play? Join MTV News host Dometi Pongo and Secretary of the Smithsonian Lonnie G. Bunch III as they discuss the Freedom Riders, citizen journalism, media representation and image-making as it relates to civil rights.

Conversations in Context: Media (10:01)

On July 28, 1917, about 10,000 Black men, women, and children marched silently down Manhattan's Fifth Avenue in one of the very first civil rights protests. Learn how, through marching for freedom and fairness, African Americans have fought to create a better America for everyone.

Conversations in Context: Marches (10:09)

History was never meant to be permanent; our understanding of what really happened should evolve over time. Join MTV News host Dometi Pongo and Secretary of the Smithsonian Lonnie G. Bunch III as they discuss how we remember the past, from slavery narratives to Confederate monuments, and what we're meant to learn from it.

Conversations in Context: Memory (12:27)

In 1942, the Japanese were bearing down on the Philippines, where General Douglas MacArthur was based. To help him escape, the Navy relied on a small but heavily armed class of ships: the PT boat.

How PT Boats Helped General MacArthur Escape Capture (3:39)

Greg Spriggs and Jim Moye are on a mission: to declassify all valuable film footage that exists of every U.S. nuclear test ever conducted.

Bringing Classified Nuclear Test Footage to the Public (1:47)

Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, on how MLK's assassination affected all Americans and how the civil rights leader ultimately embodied of the best of our nation.

History in Context: The Impact of MLK's Assassination (1:20)