In this post, readers will discover some of the early history of bullet-proof vests and how Americans during the Civil War tried to protect themselves and their loved ones with this relatively new invention.  Written by Civil War scholar Sarah Weicksel, this post i

In this post, readers will explore the writings of an assistant surgeon in the 150th Pennsylvania infantry during the Civil War, M.A. Henderson.  Although Henderson did not see much action and describes little of his medical duties, his diary is a resource for understanding the Ci

In this post, readers will find hope even in the darkest of circumstances.  The story of Paul and May Ishimoto finding love in an Arkansas internment camp is one of perseverance, sacrifice, and artifacts.  Written by Cedric Yeh, Deputy Chair and Associate Curator for the Division of Arm

In this post, readers will learn about an historical moment from a personal point of view.  William Steinway recounts the terrors of the 1863 New York City Draft riots and why he feared for his family during those dangerous days.  Written by Curator Emerita Cynthia Adams Hoover and volu

In this post, readers will draw connections between the food on our tables and the people and organizations that helped put it there.  More than a warm meal, the foods Americans consume have been a source of political tension and national change throughout the 20th century. 

In this post, students will learn about George Westinghouse, Sr. during his Civil War service, before he became a pioneer of the electrical industry. A transcript of the letter is availalbe for download. Written by Hal Wallace, Associate Curator of Electricity Collections, this post is publi

In this post, students will learn the story of Ms. Weslee W. D’Audney, a woman who modeled for a government poster during World War II. Students will also discover the challenges of managing the Smithsonian's large collection of war-related posters. Written by David Haberstich, Associ

In this post, students will learn about Celia Cruz's life, music, and impact on Caribbean and Latino immigrants in America. In a career that spanned six decades and took her from Cuba to the United States, Cruz became known around the world for her piercing and powerful voice and larger-than

In this post, students will read an interview with Marcia Quackenbush, a social worker in San Francisco in the early 1980s. She wrote one of the early textbooks for K-12 teachers, Teaching AIDS. Interviewer John O’Keefe is a guest assistant curator of the showcase displa

In this post, students will learn how packaging—and the unspoken dialogue between consumers and producers—is one way to understand the connection between supermarkets and food consumption habits in the United States. Package colors, materials, and other design elements of food products a