Description: A file in the Smithsonian Institution Archives’ accession records tells the story of an historic piece of Lincoln memorabilia that didn't wind up in the Smithsonian’s collections.
Description: A twentieth century Renaissance man, Louis R. Purnell lived a remarkable life. His career began in the skies above Italy and Germany, where he flew 88 combat missions as an original member of the Tuskegee Airmen. After the war, while working at the National Museum of Natural History, he traveled the world’s oceans collecting marine specimens, taught himself geology and