Description: Even before the United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917, the conflict in Europe was front and center in the minds of many Americans who wanted to do their part. The employees of the Smithsonian were no exception. Through their own Red Cross auxiliary, applying their expertise to the war effort, and making changes in their private lives, Smithsonian employees took
Description: The history of the long campaign to bring a national museum for African Americans to the National Mall, the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Description: Just as the war affected the home life of millions of Americans, it had a drastic impact on the three buildings of the Smithsonian. The biggest change occurred in the ‘new’ National Museum, also known as the Natural History Building, then the Smithsonian’s cutting-edge exhibit space. The Bureau of War Risk Insurance, a new division of the US Department of Treasury created to