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Sheet music for 1920 Ziefeld Follies by Irving Berlin
Smithsonian Spotlight

1920: A Year in the Collections

Explore items related to the year, including a pen used to sign the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
pin without extinction is liberty
National Museum of American History

Alice Paul and Suffragists Were First to Picket the White House

In January 1917, Alice Paul and the National Woman’s Party (NWP) became the first people to ever picket the White House.
Carter Family sheet music.
Smithsonian Spotlight

Country Music

Discover country music—an American art form with roots in folk and blues—as reflected in the Smithsonian's collections.
absentee ballot envelope cover.
National Postal Museum

Absentee Voting in the Civil War

During the Civil War, states extended the vote to military personnel stationed outside of their home districts. Precedents dated to legislation during the War of 1812.
illustration of diverse group of people.
National Museum of African American History and Culture

Talking About Race

Talking about race, although hard, is necessary. This online portal provides tools and guidance to empower your journey and inspire conversation.
John R. Lewis kneeling in prayer.
Smithsonian Spotlight

Remembering Rep. John R. Lewis

Lewis was a giant in the civil rights movement whose wisdom, courage, and moral clarity earned him the nickname “the conscience of the Congress.” 
Miss Liberty Celebration
Smithsonian Spotlight

The Statue of Liberty: Symbol for a Nation

A gift from France in 1886, Lady Liberty in our collections and across America.
native man in headdress on apple as
National Museum of the American Indian

Americans

Explore the online companion to the bold exhibition revealing the ways American Indian images, names, and stories are hidden in plain sight.
graphic of burning city with stylized flames and smoke
Sidedoor Podcast

Confronting the Past

Learn the important story of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, a riot that destroyed almost 40 blocks of a wealthy black neighborhood in Oklahoma. 
Portrait of James Smithson painted by Henri Johns in 1816
Smithsonian Blog

James Smithson, The Scientist Who Started the Smithsonian

It is in his knowledge that man has found his greatness and his happiness.—James Smithson
spirograph
Smithsonian Spotlight

Playtime: Toys, Games, and Puzzles

From vintage to high-tech, there's something for every child (and child at heart) in our collections.
To Ask Freedom for Women is not a Crime
Smithsonian Spotlight

Votes for Women

A look at the fight to get the right to vote through the Smithsonian's collections.