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A Filipino man poses next to a Ford Model A in the 1930s. Filipino Agricultural Workers Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Large trunks discovered in a basement offer a window into the lives and struggles of early Filipino migrants

A trove of century-old belongings − from farm tools to pillowcases − tells the story of Filipinos who migrated to California to build a new life, a journey now honored in a Smithsonian exhibition.
‘The Dying Tecumseh,’ a marble sculpture at the Smithsonian, depicts the Shawnee leader in a heroic light. Frederick Pettrich, Smithsonian American Art Museum

Race isn’t a ‘biological reality,’ contrary to recent political claims − here’s how scientific consensus on race developed in the 20th century

An executive order critiques the idea that race is a human invention. But that’s exactly what modern science supports.
Damage and residual flooding from Mill Creek in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 29, 2024, in Old Fort, N.C. Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images

After Hurricane Helene, survivors have been in a race against time to protect family heirlooms, photographs and keepsakes

Disaster recovery isn’t just about repairing bridges, roads and homes. Conservationists from the Smithsonian were on the ground in North Carolina helping families piece their lives back together.
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris waves to the crowd after speaking at the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Signs, props and light‑up wristbands − the 2024 political conventions find a home in the Smithsonian collections

The Whigs started holding political conventions in the 1830s − and historians from the Smithsonian who visited the GOP and Democratic conventions this year found the tradition is still very vibrant.
Curators from the Smithsonian were at the GOP convention in July to bring back items for the museum, including balloons. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Historians diving for balloons and hoping for hot dish: What Smithsonian curators will be doing at the Democratic National Convention

Will there be Minnesota hot dish hats worn at the upcoming Democratic National Convention? Curators from the Smithsonian will be there, looking for both routine and unconventional campaign items.
Planting trees on deforested lands in Panama. Jorge Aleman/Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Paying people to replant tropical forests − and letting them harvest the timber − can pay off for climate, justice and environment

It might seem counterintuitive to suggest timber harvesting when the goal is to restore forests, but that gives landholders the economic incentive to protect and manage forests over time.
Mary E. Harper (left) and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (right), whose two photos in ‘Atlanta Offering’ are unusual. Unidentified Artist, 1895, Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, & Rare Book Library, Emory University

The hidden story of two African‑American women looking out from the pages of a 19th‑century book

A 19th-century volume contained a mystery for two historians who combined their knowledge to tell the story of the women and their contributions to American democracy.

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