American History

Robert Imbrie's body arrived in Washington, D.C. on September 29, 1924.

A Century Ago, a Mob Brutally Attacked an American Diplomat in Persia. His Death Shaped U.S.-Iran Relations for Decades

The July 1924 killing of Robert Imbrie fueled the rise of the Pahlavi dynasty and set the stage for both a CIA-backed 1953 coup and the 1979 Iran hostage crisis

A few costumed tykes—including a Batman and a Green Hornet—hitting the streets in Oakland, New Jersey, in October 1966. 

The Celtic Origins of Trick-or-Treating

The spine-tingling roots of a mischievous Halloween tradition

The opening to the cistern was discovered beneath Jefferson Drive, which runs alongside the Smithsonian Castle and other museums.

Workers Uncover an Underground Chamber Sealed for More Than a Century Near the National Mall

The dry cistern was discovered by construction crews working on the Smithsonian Castle’s renovation

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How Black Americans in the South Boldly Defied Jim Crow to Build Business Empires of Their Own

The Great Migration transformed the nation—but millions of African Americans never left their Southern communities. Their unlikely success makes their stories all the more remarkable

A recent expedition to the Titanic's wreckage found that part of the ship's iconic bow railing has collapsed.

New Photographs Reveal Decay of the Titanic and Collapse of Its Iconic Railing

An expedition this summer documented signs of deterioration on the wreck, but it also rediscovered the Diana of Versailles statue, the centerpiece of the ship’s first-class lounge

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Remarkable Documents Lay Bare New York’s History of Slavery

A newly digitized set of records reveals the plight and bravery of enslaved people in the North

The 31-star Perry flag is visible in the background of this photo, which shows United States General Douglas MacArthur signing the official Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945.

To Mark Japan's Surrender at the End of World War II, This Navy Officer Raced Halfway Around the World With a Historic Flag in Tow

In August 1945, John K. Bremyer undertook a 124-hour, 9,000-mile journey to Tokyo Bay, where he delivered the flag flown by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853 to Admiral William Halsey's USS "Missouri"

An inside spread in the newspaper featured photos of some of the victims, including the Titanic's captain Edward J. Smith.

After the Titanic Sank, Families and Friends of People on the Ship Anxiously Waited to See Who Survived and Who Perished

A newspaper detailing the accounts of loved ones, published on April 20, 1912, was recently discovered in a wardrobe and sold at auction

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At a Bold Meeting 250 Years Ago, the Continental Congress Set America in Motion

While far less famous than the coalition that met in 1775, this group of founders found agreement in their disagreements and laid the groundwork for a revolution

The Destruction of the Bastille, Étienne-Louis-Denis Cathala, 1789

Drawing of the Bastille Cherished by George Washington Goes to Auction

The artwork was a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette, who also included the fortress' key

Did Hawaiian dancers traditionally wear grass skirts? 

What's the History of Hawaiian Grass Skirts? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

A grand jury tasked with investigating the riots argued that the violence outside Peekskill “was basically neither antisemitic nor anti-Negro in character.”

The Peekskill Riots Revealed the Racism and Antisemitism Hidden Beneath the Surface of the Anti-Communist Movement

In the summer of 1949, World War II veterans protested a pair of concerts held by Paul Robeson, a Black singer and civil rights activist who expressed support for communist causes

The Oak Ridge observation tower was one of the vandalized sites at the Pennsylvania park.

Vandals Spray-Painted Graffiti on Historic Structures at Gettysburg National Military Park

Police have identified a suspect, and preservationists have removed "all traces" of paint

Frank Lloyd Wright was inspired by nature when he designed Price Tower's glass windows and green exterior.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Only Skyscraper Is Heading to Auction

Price Tower is one of three Oklahoma buildings designed by the renowned American architect

John Lewis thanks anti-gun violence advocates on the steps of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2017.

Statue of Civil Rights Leader John Lewis Replaces Confederate Monument in Georgia

The 12-foot-tall bronze artwork depicts the former congressman with his hands over his heart

The Sodder children, from left to right: 14-year-old Maurice, 12-year-old Martha, 9-year-old Louis, 8-year-old Jennie and 5-year-old Betty

What Happened to the Sodder Children, the Siblings Who Went Up in Smoke in a West Virginia House Fire?

Authorities said the Christmas 1945 blaze was accidental, but the victims' family believed otherwise, theorizing it was an act of arson designed to distract them while their loved ones were kidnapped

Jackie Robinson was the first Black athlete to play in modern Major League Baseball.

A Youth League's Stolen Jackie Robinson Statue Has Been Replaced

The original statue of the pioneering baseball player vanished from a ballpark in Wichita, Kansas, earlier this year

William E. Leuchtenburg's new book spotlights (from left to right) George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe and John Quincy Adams.

What the American Revolution Taught the United States' First Presidents

A new book by historian William E. Leuchtenburg examines how the first six commanders in chief embodied the revolutionary spirit and set precedents that shaped their successors' tenures

Frustrated residents of Sheridan, Wyoming, coalesced around the idea of secession, allying with nearby communities to petition for their own state.

How the Great Depression Fueled a Grassroots Movement to Create a New State Called Absaroka

In the 1930s, disillusioned farmers and ranchers fought to carve a 49th state out of northern Wyoming, southeastern Montana and western South Dakota

The 58-foot-long, 10-foot-high sculpture is expected to be the largest free-standing bronze relief in the Western Hemisphere.

The Final Piece of the National World War I Memorial Is Almost Finished

"A Soldier's Journey," the 58-foot-long bronze sculpture created by Sabin Howard, will be unveiled in Washington, D.C. on September 13

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