Description: Happy Fourth of July! On Independence Day, flags are flown across the nation. The Smithsonian has many versions of the American flag in its collections, the best known being the Star Spangled Banner. But, do you know its history, and how it came to the Smithsonian? The Star Spangled Banner is a huge 15-star, 15-stripe garrison flag, 30 feet by 42 feet, made in 1813 by Mary
Description: In their efforts to document the history of computing at the Smithsonian, volunteers are interviewing former staff to preserve their stories and experiences. Ching-hsien Wang was a force that helped libraries and archives make their collections accessible online and here are some early excerpts from our interview with her.
Description: The Smithsonian African American Association was formed in 1989 and was an assembly of the Institution's employees who have organized to project a united voice, to have an impact upon pan-institutional policies that affect African Americans, and to convey these concerns to the Smithsonian Administration.
Description: This National Radio Day, we’re taking a look (and listen) back to a few recent blog posts that have featured clips from episodes of Smithsonian’s first radio program, The World Is Yours.
Description: Link Love: a weekly post with links to interesting videos and stories about archival issues, technology and culture, and Washington D.C. and American history.
Description: Rube Goldberg, the subject of a 1970 exhibition at the National Museum of American History, produced thousands of drawings and comic strips, as well as, films, photographs, and over-the-top machines. A true celebrity in his time, Goldberg set standards in political cartooning and contributed to the development of thousands of extravagant and entertaining contraptions that have
Description: [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="275" caption="Miss Gloria Smith (Wedding) Deluxe Wedding Album, June 24, 1956, by Scurlock Studio (Washington, D.C.), Silver gelatin on cellulose acetate film sheet, Scurlock Studio Records, ca. 1905-1994, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Call No. 0618.278439. "][/caption] When I read Laurie Lambrecht’s recent