An artist conjures a whimsical new version of a magnificent 15th-century mural

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.

Using new historical evidence, two scientists argue the female chemist was more involved in discovering DNA’s structure than she got credit for.

The barrier-breaking singer, who died this week at 83, influenced countless musicians who followed in her footsteps

A new exhibition celebrates the pioneering designer, who opened her own practice in the late 1880s

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 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”.

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.”

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."