American History

Debs campaigning for the presidency before a freight-yard audience in 1912.

When America's Most Prominent Socialist Was Jailed for Speaking Out Against World War I

After winning 6 percent of the vote in the 1912 presidential election, Eugene Debs ran afoul of the nation's new anti-sedition laws

Clockwise from upper right, the items Feliciano donated to the Smithsonian included: his beloved Concerto Candelas guitar, a Braille writer his wife Susan used, a pair of his trademark glasses, and a heartfelt embroidered note from a Japanese admirer.

For More Than Five Decades, José Feliciano's Version of the National Anthem Has Given Voice to Immigrant Pride

The acclaimed musician offers a moving welcome to the newest U.S. citizens and donates his guitar

Monticello's main house and South Wing

Putting Enslaved Families' Stories Back in the Monticello Narrative

An oral history project deepens our understanding of U.S. history by sharing accounts of the community owned by Thomas Jefferson

The Unheralded Legacy of Civil Rights Leader Dorothy Cotton

The late activist helped organize the Birmingham marches and educated the disenfranchised about their constitutional rights

What if Napoleon hadn't stopped at invading Russia and instead created a world under French control?

What if Napoleon Hadn't Lost Europe and Other Questions of Alternate History

How the 200-year-old literary genre reflects changing notions of history and society

Exterior of the Iroquois Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, 1903

The Iroquois Theater Disaster Killed Hundreds and Changed Fire Safety Forever

The deadly conflagration ushered in a series of reforms that are still visible today

Once states voted, approval of what became the 18th Amendment came quickly, the Smithsonian's Peter Liebhold says. “I think some people were surprised how quickly that all came about.”

The Bitter Aftertaste of Prohibition in American History

Anti-immigration sentiment flavored that cocktail ban, historians say

Woodrow Wilson at his desk in the Oval Office c. 1913.

Woodrow Wilson's Papers Go Digital, Leaving Microfiche Behind

This increased accessibility of Wilson’s papers coincides with a new wave of interest in the 28th president

New Evidence Shows That Humans Could Have Migrated to the Americas Along the Coast

Dating of rocks and animal bones shows Alaska's coast was glacier free around 17,000 years ago, allowing people to move south along the coast

Worshippers at Holy Angel Catholic Church on Chicago’s South Side, in October, 1973.

The History of Black Catholics in America

The Black Catholic Movement reinvigorated the church, with liturgical innovation, new preaching styles and activist scholarship

John Mackay made a fortune in the mining industry.

The Mining Millionaire Americans Couldn’t Help But Love

Unlike the other one-percenters of his age, John Mackay gained his countrymen’s admiration. But in an ironic twist, it means he’s little known today

The 20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2018

From Oregon Trail stops to Mister Rogers' original neighborhood, these towns are worth seeing this year

Elsie Janis (1889-1956), an American singer, songwriter, actress, and screenwriter

The Sweetheart of the American Expeditionary Force

During World War I, vaudeville star Elsie Janis travelled to France to bring good cheer to U.S. troops

How Ketchup Revolutionized How Food Is Grown, Processed and Regulated

The condiment really is the perfect complement to the American diet

Hundreds of theater lovers in front of the Richard Rodgers Theatre in Times Square

The Issue on the Table: Is "Hamilton" Good For History?

In a new book, top historians discuss the musical’s educational value, historical accuracy and racial revisionism

Kraft advertisement in the Ladies’ Home Journal, 1948

A Brief History of America's Appetite for Macaroni and Cheese

Popularized by Thomas Jefferson, this versatile dish fulfills our nation's quest for the 'cheapest protein possible'

On May 17, 2018, in a gift to posterity, the organizer, publisher and political strategist Mark Segal donated 16 cubic feet of personal papers and artifacts, including the poster above.

Mark Segal, LGBTQ Iconoclast, Activist and Disruptor, Donates Lifetime of Papers and Artifacts

Following the 1969 Stonewall Raid, Segal built a life around protest and the quest for equal rights for minority groups

Silhouettes of Sylvia Drake and Charity Bryant of Weybridge, Vermont, (c. 1805-1815) is possibly the first depiction of a same sex couple.

Rarely Seen 19th-Century Silhouette of a Same-Sex Couple Living Together Goes On View

A new show, featuring the paper cutouts, reveals unheralded early Americans, as well as contemporary artists working with this old art form

The bloomer costume

Amelia Bloomer Didn’t Mean to Start a Fashion Revolution, But Her Name Became Synonymous With Trousers

In the 1850s, women’s rights activists briefly adopted a new style in an effort to liberate themselves from heavy dresses

How Come U.S. Currency Never Changes Its Face and More Questions From Our Readers

You asked, we answered

Page 70 of 186