These activities help young learners build skills in literacy, creativity, and communication while using everyday materials and exploring interesting topics. A series of five, each activity uses objects from across the Smithsonian as a jumping-off point for learning through play as well as tips for

These activities help young learners build skills in literacy, creativity, and communication while using everyday materials and exploring interesting topics. A series of five, each activity uses objects from across the Smithsonian as a jumping-off point for learning through play as well as tips for

"Summer Road Trip” is a new 40-page activity guide that uses the vast collections and expertise of the Smithsonian to take learners on their own summer “road trip” of discovery. Through hands-on activities, puzzles and games, students will explore topics in STEM, history, and the arts. The gui

Popular athletes can reflect the broader societal change that is going on around them; they can also be instigators of that change. This collection traces the African-American civil rights movement through the 20th century and touches on athletes like Jack Johnson, Jackie Robinson, and Muhammad A

Freedom Summer veteran Courtland Cox discusses his work in the civil rights movement, the relationship between the work of Freedom Summer and the recent voter registration requirements, and emphasizes that the challenge of this generation of young people will be the fight for equal access to qual

In this episode of the History Explorer podcast, students can hear from civil rights activist Zoharah Simmons about her experiences in the 1964 Freedom Summer project.  This interview is from a program presented at the Museum in 2000 called Fighting for My Rights. The 

In this episode of the History Explorer podcast series, hear activist and Mississippi native June Johnson discuss her work in the civil rights movement, including during Mississippi Freedom Summer.  Johnson was a teenager when she became active in the movement, and worked alongside Fannie Lo

Often incorporating aspects ritual and secrecy, fraternal orders are voluntary associations of men and women that date back to the early 18th century. In this episode of the History Explorer podcast series, curator Tim Winkle discusses fraternal orders and his research on a particular object

What do British cattle and Mexican cowboys have to do with the history of Hawaiian folk music? A lot, as it turns out. Slack Key guitar master Reverend Dennis Kamakahi explains in this episode of the History Explorer podcast series. The episode features songs Rev. Kamakahi played during a ceremon

Though not as well-known as figures such as Duke Ellington or Ella Fitzgerald, John Levy made significant contributions to jazz music, both as a bassist and as the first black personal manager in jazz. In this episode of History Explorer, Sarah Coffee interviews Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orche