The following resources can be sorted by “Category”, “Source/Institution” or “Title” by clicking on the desired header name.
Smithsonian Magazine article and video highlighting “The Story Behind the Emancipation Proclamation” with National Museum of African American History and Culture Director.
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Civil Rights |
National Portrait Gallery |
In this online exhibition, explore photographs of some of twentieth-century America’s famous and influential women.
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Civil Rights |
National Museum of African American History and Culture |
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Civil Rights |
National Museum of American History |
Smithsonian Magazine article spotlighting four college students sat down to request lunch service at a North Carolina Woolworth’s and ignited a struggle.
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Civil Rights |
National Museum of American History |
National Museum of American History website, with interactive resources and timeline for student use, highlighting the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education as a turning point in the history of race relations in the United States.
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Civil Rights |
National Museum of American History |
Examine collections of the National Museum of American History’s key resources on major themes in American history and social studies teaching.
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Civil Rights |
National Museum of American History |
Restaging the Greensboro Counter Sit-in | Smithsonian Video | Learn how to stage a sit-in right next to the Greensboro lunch counter, the location of one of the civil rights movement’s most famous protests.
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57th Inauguration |
National Museum of American History |
Online exhibition that looks at the history of voting methods in the United States, which are as varied as the individual states and their local election districts. “Vote: The Machinery of Democracy” explores how ballots and voting systems have evolved over the years as a response to political, social, and technological change, transforming the ways in which Americans vote.
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57th Inauguration |
National Museum of American History |
Online exhibition that examines the history of the American presidency. Using objects from the museum’s extensive collection, an interactive timeline, and online activities, learn about the realities of the presidency, from its origins to the present, as well as the lives of the men who have held the office.
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57th Inauguration |
National Museum of American History |
Two curators from the American History Museum show the highlights of the archives of inauguration relics.
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57th Inauguration |
National Portrait Gallery |
Online exhibion from the National Portrait Gallery that features likenesses of former presidents as well as brief summaries of major events occurring during their presidencies.
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57th Inauguration |
National Portrait Gallery |
Online exhibion from the National Portrait Gallery that features likenesses of former presidents as well as brief summaries of major events occurring during their presidencies.
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57th Inauguration |
National Portrait Gallery |
Online exhibition that explores how U.S. presidents shaped or reacted to the events of the Cold War.
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57th Inauguration |
National Portrait Gallery |
Online exhibition that contains Block’s original drawings of presidential cartoons from Franklin Roosevelt through Bill Clinton. The political cartoons of Herbert Block (1909–2001) appeared in American newspapers for more than seven decades under the pen name Herblock.
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57th Inauguration |
National Portrait Gallery |
Online exhibition dedicated to examining the Civil War through the Smithsonian Institution’s extensive collections. Includes uniforms, equipment, weapons, paintings, and photographs of the war’s most celebrated personalities organized by topic as well as a timeline of the war and additional resources.
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57th Inauguration |
National Portrait Gallery |
Five lesson plans in which images of Lincoln—in paintings, prints, photographs, plaster “life masks,” and the poetry of Walt Whitman—are the basis for a study of the Civil War. Also includes audio commentaries from the onsite exhibition.
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57th Inauguration |
National Portrait Gallery |
Comprehensive study of the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington. Features an interactive guide pointing to the symbolic, biographic, and artistic elements of the painting, a biography of Washington’s life, kids’ activities, teachers’ guides, family tips, and tour details.
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Civil Rights |
National Portrait Gallery |
This is an exhibition of photographic portraits of prominent African Americans. The theme, African American resistance across 150 years of United States history, was inspired by the words of Henry Highland Garnet, an abolitionist and clergyman. Throughout American history, most black Americans embraced Garnet’s plea. The photographs reveal and illuminate the variety of creative and courageous ways that African Americans resisted, redefined, and accommodated in an America that needed but rarely accepted its black citizens.
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Civil Rights |
National Portrait Gallery |
This exhibition showcases major cultural and political figures—from key 19th-century historical figures to contemporary leaders—who struggled to achieve civil rights for disenfranchised or marginalized groups.
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Civil Rights |
Smithsonian Education |
Explore the variety of teaching strategies and guidelines, lesson plans and document-based questions (DBQs), and information about museum objects and other primary sources. You might get started by showing the video, in which Smithsonian curators examine a photograph of civil rights leader Medgar Evers. You can then help the students examine other historic photographs.
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Civil Rights |
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage |
Smithsonian Folkways – Sing For Freedom: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement Through Its Songs – Various Artists and Related Lesson Plans: “South Africa, Free At Last: The Freedom Songs of South Africa and the Civil Rights Movement in America”
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Civil Rights |
Smithsonian Museum of American Art |
Online exhibition of African American Art: Harlem Renaissance, Civil Rights Era, and Beyond. This slideshow has 79 images. Click the arrows at either end of the group to see the next group. You can also navigate clicking on the dotted line under the groups. Click on the images to get a larger view.
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Civil Rights |
National Portrait Gallery |
A portrait created by a graphic designer ended up becoming the icon for the 2008 Obama campaign and an international phenomenon. Here’s an interview showcasing the designer and the stories behind the portrait.
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57th Inauguration |
Smithsonian Education |
Looking for information on a specific president? Want to expand your search to resources surrounding a certain historical era? SmithsonianEducation.org offers access to a searchable database of educator resources from all of the Smithsonian museums and research centers. You can also search to find Smithsonian educational resources that are aligned to national, common core, or state standards.
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57th Inauguration |
Smithsonian Education |
Since the days of George Washington, the United States has been led by the Office of the President, as originally planned by the Founding Fathers, written out in the U.S. Constitution, and continued today. These badge quests focus on the process of becoming President – from campaigns, elections, and inaugurations to the legacy that Presidents leave behind for future generations. As you take on the quest challenges, you’ll look at the role that everyday citizens play in government and how civic responsibilities and rights have changed over time.
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57th Inauguration |
Smithsonian Education |
Lessons in which Smithsonian portraits of Lincoln introduce a study of the Civil War. Analysis of the portraits—the famous “cracked-plate” photograph, two plaster “life masks,” and an eyewitness drawing of Lincoln’s arrival in the enemy capital of Richmond, Virginia—leads to an analysis of the times.
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57th Inauguration |
Smithsonian Education |
Explore Smithsonian research and collections related to Lincoln’s life – everything from portraits and diaries to documents and historical artifacts. Alongside Smithsonian curators, you’ll look at Lincoln’s life and legacy from the perspectives of history, science, and art. Archived sessions from the 2009 celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s bicentennial.
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57th Inauguration |
Smithsonian Education |
Online publication with activities to introduce students to the office of the presidency and the process of electing the president. Includes lessons on political campaigns, political parties, and the Electoral College. NEW! 2012 Elections Supplement available as well.
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57th Inauguration |
Smithsonian Education |
Did you know that Thomas Jefferson offered his own huge book collection as a replacement when British troops burned the Library of Congress? Or that John F. Kennedy was the youngest man ever elected president—and the youngest to die in office? Visit Mr. President to learn the facts about each of our nation’s presidents. It’s a great place for browsing, research, or homework help.
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57th Inauguration |
National Portrait Gallery |
Lesson plans and activities from National Portrait Gallery educators, focusing on content found in online exhibitions.
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Civil Rights |
National Museum of American History |
Explore the Woolworth’s lunch counter sit-ins in Greensboro, the Freedom Rides, Japanese internment, and other civil rights issues of the 20th century through lessons, videos, and activities.
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Civil Rights |
National Museum of American History |
Hear historians and activists in conversation with high school students discussing the legacy of 19th century abolitionism and its lessons for ending modern-day slavery in this webcast.
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Civil Rights |
National Museum of American History |
Hear Chris Wilson, the Museum’s Director of the Program in African American History and Culture, discuss the use of freedom songs during the civil rights movement.
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Civil Rights |
National Museum of American History |
This online exhibition features a signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation and 10 letters expressing Lincoln’s views on emancipation and the conclusion of the Civil War.
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Civil Rights |
National Museum of American History |
This OurStory module from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History entitled Winning the Vote for Women, includes links to hands-on activities and a list of recommended readings related to the topic of women’s suffrage.
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Civil Rights |
National Museum of American History |
Highlights the “Changing America” exhibit, with additional education resources available.
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Immigration/Migration |
National Museum of American History |
Blog post from the National Museum of American History chronicles the donation of objects that tell the story of two young girls, Mariela and Maria Isabel, who journeyed with their family from Cuba to the United States in 1964.
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Immigration/Migration |
National Museum of American History |
To complement the Smithsonian Immigration/Migration Initiative, a team of ARTLAB+ teens filmed video interviews at the 2012 Hispanic Heritage Month Family Day, asking festival goers to talk about their family roots.
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Immigration/Migration |
National Museum of American History |
This exhibit looks at the history of Puerto Rico through the eyes of a collector who captured the island’s history with the wonderful objects that he collected.
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Immigration/Migration |
National Museum of American History |
Blog post highlighting the recent donation of objects that tell the story of two young girls, Mariela and Maria Isabel, who journeyed with their family from Cuba to the United States in 1964.
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Immigration/Migration |
National Museum of American History |
This OurStory theme explores the experiences of immigrants who came to America and the ways that immigration has changed life in America.
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Immigration/Migration |
National Museum of American History |
This exhibit explores the role of transportation in American History. Visit communities wrestling with the changes that new transportation networks brought.
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Immigration/Migration |
Smithsonian American Art Museum |
Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art explores a key cornerstone in our national narrative—that we are “a nation of immigrants”—by considering the varied contributions of Latino artists to American art and culture from the mid-twentieth century to the present.
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Immigration/Migration |
National Museum of American History |
Blog post highlighting the rehousing and storage of onsite collections, including Frank G. Carpenter’s collection of shoes from around the globe.
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Immigration/Migration |
Smithsonian Education |
Book Activity: “Today I am Here” book making instructions. Students design, write, and illustrate a book about their family history.
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Immigration/Migration |
Smithsonian Education |
Resource website, featuring Smithsonian Heritage Month Celebrations, Virtual Tours and Special Family Storybook Activities.
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Immigration/Migration |
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage |
Interviewing Guide: How to conduct an Oral History. Turn to members of your own family and community as key sources of history, culture, and tradition.
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Immigration/Migration |
Hirshhorn Museum ARTLAB+ |
VIDEO: A team of ARTLAB+ teens filmed video interviews at the 2012 Hispanic Heritage Month Family Day, asking festival goers to talk about their family roots.
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Immigration/Migration |
National Museum of American History |
Teaching Poster: Downloadable pdf version of the “If You Walked in My Shoes” teaching resource, highlighting the power of objects and the essential questions to ask with students as they interpret them.
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Immigration/Migration |
National Museum of American History |
An easy to use study guide for the civics portion of the U.S. Naturalization Test. Learn about U.S. History and Government and practice for the test. Excellent resource for students understanding the citizenship process.
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