An artist conjures a whimsical new version of a magnificent 15th-century mural
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In the late 1880s, a formerly enslaved man named William Dorsey Swann started hosting private balls known as drags, a name possibly derived from “grand rag,” an antiquated term for masquerade balls.
What We’re Still Learning About Rosalind Franklin’s Unheralded Brilliance
Will Sullivan /
Smithsonian Magazine
Using new historical evidence, two scientists argue the female chemist was more involved in discovering DNA’s structure than she got credit for.
Tina Turner, Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Left an Indelible Mark on Music History
Christopher Parker /
Smithsonian Magazine
The barrier-breaking singer, who died this week at 83, influenced countless musicians who followed in her footsteps
History Forgot Minerva Parker Nichols, the Country’s First Solo Woman Architect
Christopher Parker /
Smithsonian Magazine
A new exhibition celebrates the pioneering designer, who opened her own practice in the late 1880s
History Forgot Minerva Parker Nichols, the Country’s First Solo Woman Architect
Christopher Parker /
Smithsonian Magazine
Minerva Parker Nichols was the first woman to open a solo architecture practice in the United States. Her work earned her renown in a field that was—and still is—dominated by men. Her story, however, has been largely forgotten.
“For decades, people have waited for this opportunity to shine a brighter light on women both famous and unsung who profoundly changed the world,” said Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch. “Nancy’s proven experience, skill and leadership will be crucial in bringing to life the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and enabling it to creatively tell a more robust and complete story about who we are as a nation.”
Mina Miller Edison Was Much More Than the Wife of the ‘Wizard of Menlo Park’
Katherine Hobbs /
Smithsonian Magazine
Mina Miller Edison managed a large estate, ran countless charities, raised six children, had an encyclopedic knowledge of birds, and dedicated herself to the theory and practice of women’s labor. The second wife of Thomas Edison, she viewed domestic labor as a science, calling herself a “home executive”.
How an All-Black Female WWII Unit Saved Morale on the Battlefield
Jennie Rothenberg Gritz /
Smithsonian Magazine
Glory goes to the Six Triple Eight, who overcame discrimination from fellow service members and are finally getting the recognition they earned.
A new statue honors Licoricia of Winchester, a 13th-century moneylender whose life illuminates the challenges faced by Jews at the time. Licoricia was, in the words of historian Robert Stacey, “the most important Jewish woman in medieval England.”
The Frick Adds Its First Renaissance Portrait of a Woman to Permanent Collection
Ella Feldman /
Smithsonian Magazine
In addition to being the Frick’s first Renaissance-era portrait of a woman, the painting is also the first Moroni in the museum’s permanent possession.
“Placidia had an amazingly adventurous life. She was a hostage for years. She was married twice, to a Gothic king, then to Rome’s most powerful general. She had one child who died, another who became emperor. She must have been a very strong and powerful character."