Civil Rights
A Century Ago, This Law Underscored the Promises and Pitfalls of Native American Citizenship
The 1924 Indian Citizenship Act sought to assimilate Native people into white society. But the legislation, signed by President Calvin Coolidge, fell short
How the Murder of a Black Grocery Store Owner and His Colleagues Galvanized Ida B. Wells' Anti-Lynching Crusade
The saga of People's Grocery stands as a powerful reminder of the centrality of Black radicalism to the food justice movement
Little Rock Nine and Paul McCartney React to Beyoncé's 'Blackbird' Cover
McCartney was inspired to write the song after hearing about the battle to integrate Little Rock Central High School in 1957
How Painting Portraits of Freedom Fighters Became William H. Johnson’s Life’s Work
A new exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum brings together the Black Modernist painter’s most famous series for the first time in more than 75 years
Before Beyonce and Taylor Swift Ran the World, There Was Joan Baez
Today’s artists—especially women—are sometimes criticized for speaking out, but for Baez, art and activism were indivisible
How a Century of Black Westerns Shaped Movie History
Mario Van Peebles' "Outlaw Posse" is the latest attempt to correct the erasure of people of color from the classic cinema genre
The Founder of This Trailblazing Opera Company Put Black Singers at Center Stage
Mary Cardwell Dawson created unprecedented opportunities for aspiring Black musicians
How to Separate Fact From Myth in the Extraordinary Story of Sojourner Truth
Two historians tell us why the pioneering 19th-century feminist, suffragist and abolitionist’s legacy has so frequently been misrepresented
Who Stole—and Burned—This Jackie Robinson Statue?
Donations poured in to help replace the bronze statue, which a youth baseball nonprofit unveiled in 2021
Twenty-Four Smithsonian Shows to See in 2024
Election-year items, truth serum, Nigerian art and a pioneering self-driving car are on display this year
The Ten Best Books About Travel of 2023
Take a trip without leaving home with these adventurous reads from this year
Why America Is Just Now Learning to Love Thaddeus Stevens, the 'Best-Hated Man' in U.S. History
The Pennsylvanian was one of America’s greatest heroes. Why hasn’t he gotten his due?
Smithsonian Scholars Recommend Their Favorite Books of 2023
Curators and staffers satisfied their endless curiosity with novels, short stories, biographies, art collections and journalistic reporting
Malcolm X Opera Opens in New York
The Afrofuturist production examines the civil rights leader's legacy and lasting influence
The Real History Behind Netflix's 'Rustin' Movie
A new film finally spotlights Bayard Rustin, the gay civil rights activist who organized the 1963 March on Washington
Foundry Workers Melt Down Charlottesville's Divisive Robert E. Lee Statue
Eventually, an artist will be chosen to transform the bronze bars into a public art installation
Nobel Peace Prize Goes to Iranian Rights Activist Narges Mohammadi
Mohammadi, who is currently in prison, is at the forefront of the fight against oppression in Iran
This Black Football Player Was Fatally Injured During a Game. A Century Later, a College Stadium Bears His Name
Rival athletes trampled Jack Trice during his "first real college game." He died two days later at age 21
The Surprisingly Radical Roots of the Renaissance Fair
The first of these festivals debuted in the early 1960s, serving as a prime example of the United States' burgeoning counterculture
Watch the Trailer for 'Rustin,' Which Spotlights the Man Behind the 1963 March on Washington
The new film dramatizes Bayard Rustin's efforts to pull off an event of unprecedented scale
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