Political Leaders

Meet the First and Only Foreign-Born First Lady: Louisa Catherine Adams

Almost 200 years ago, the wife of John Quincy Adams set a precedent

A portrait photograph of Victoria Woodhull.

Victoria Woodhull Ran for President Before Women Had the Right to Vote

Her 1872 campaign platform focused on women’s rights and sexual freedom

Lee Harvey Oswald, center, handing out fliers. According to a conspiracy theory floated by the National Enquirer, the unidentified man on the left wearing a black tie is the father of Senator Ted Cruz.

A Brief History of Lee Harvey Oswald's Connection to Cuba

For over 50 years, conspiracy theorists have linked JFK’s assassin to Fidel Castro’s Cuba

The slogan “unbought and unbossed” appeared on Chisholm’s campaign posters, one of which resides in the collections of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

'Unbought and Unbossed': When a Black Woman Ran for the White House

The congresswoman tried to win the White House by consolidating the Black vote and the women's vote, but she ran into trouble

Upton Sinclair, noted author and Democratic nominee for Governor, pictured speaking to a group in his campaign headquarters shortly after his arrival in Los Angeles.

Upton Sinclair Was a Socialist Candidate Who Succeeded Through Failure

The author’s 1934 bid to govern California came up short, but left a lasting mark on politics

Campaign collections include boxes of Macaroni and Cheese for both parties.

What Ten Artifacts from the Smithsonian Collections Can Tell Us About the Crazy History of American Politics

A massive collection of campaign materials dating from 1789 reveals that little has changed in how America shows its affection for their candidate

Former Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Thomas Peter Lantos (D-Calif.) and his poodle, Gigi.

Congress Won’t Pay For Official Portraits Anymore

The government will stop using taxpayer dollars to immortalize lawmakers in the traditional fashion

44 Years Ago, Shirley Chisholm Became the First Black Woman to Run For President

Chisholm saw her campaign as a necessary "catalyst for change"

The First Person of Native American Descent Was Elected to the U.S. Senate 109 Years Ago Today

Charles Curtis, who would go on to become Herbert Hoover's vice president, left behind a problematic legacy

On the last day of the climate conference in Paris, thousands of people gathered to demonstrate for global climate justice and against climate change.

Four Things to Know About the Paris Climate Deal

The strengths and limitations of the roadmap for fighting climate change

Crimean Officials Are Suing Putin for Drinking a 240-Year-Old Bottle of Wine

Putin and Berlusconi opened up a world of trouble along with a vintage bottle of booze

A family tunes in to the 1976 debate

Americans Have Always Loved to Hate Presidential Debates

Audiences are ambivalent — but they still tune in

Argentina Has a Superstition That Seventh Sons Will Turn into Werewolves

If the president adopts them, however, the seventh sons are spared from their werewolf fate

James Franco and Seth Rogen are just the latest actors to draw ire from political leaders.

"The Interview" Joins the Ranks of These Banned or Restricted Movies

From a Charlie Chaplin comedy to a Mae West melodrama, plenty of controversial films have been pulled or even destroyed since the dawn of cinema

London Mayor Boris Johnson released his book, The Churchill Factor, in November 2014.

London Mayor Boris Johnson on Winston Churchill's Cheekiest Quotes

London's mayor talks about his new Churchill biography, 50 years after the British Bulldog's death

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott (L) with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (R) on June 9, 2014

Canada and Australia Don’t Want To Play Along With U.N. Climate Summit

Political leaders from Canada and Australia, along with a few others, are skipping the U.N. climate summit today

Women Get More Politically Engaged When Their Senator Is Also Female

Women no longer lag far behind men in political savvy when they have a female leader to look toward

David Graham, rear, with John Tee-Van, front, with one of the young pandas.

How an American Missionary Helped Capture the First Panda Given to the U.S.

"Missionaries sometimes have to tackle strange and unusual jobs," David Graham wrote.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Why Do Secretaries of State Make Such Terrible Presidential Candidates?

Before the Civil War, the cabinet position was considered a stepping stone to the Chief Executive; now, not so much

A protester at the Bring Back Our Girls rally in New York City, which took place last week.

The U.S. Is Going to Help Try to Find the Still-Missing Nigerian School Girls

President Obama pledges immediate, on-the-ground support

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