Smithsonian National Museum of American History

As one of the foremothers of jazz music, Ella Fitzgerald is often celebrated as “The First Lady of Song.” With 14 Grammy Awards, the National Medal of the Arts, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, she gained widespread recognition for her exceptional vocal abilities and innovative scat singing style. In the second episode of “Collected: The Musical Genius of Black Women,” curator Krystal Klingenberg and her guests explore Fitzgerald’s legacy and her far-reaching impact on jazz music and beyond. #CollectedS2 #CollectedMGBW https://s.si.edu/4jJ9PiR

Many consider Rosa Parks' 1955 refusal to give up her seat on an Alabama bus a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement. However, activists in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People had been laying the groundwork for decades. While some NAACP leaders such as W.E.B. Du Bois and Thurgood Marshall are well-known, others – such as Walter White, who led the NAACP from 1929 to 1955 – remain less recognized. Join us on Thursday, Feb. 20 to learn more about Walter White during a special screening of "Forgotten Hero: Walter White and the NAACP" presented by the History Film Forum and American Experience PBS. The film will be followed by a discussion and feature objects out of storage from the museum’s collections relating to the NAACP and the Civil Rights Movement.

Join us in celebration of #BlackHistoryMonth! Throughout the month, we'll share objects, articles, and learning resources related to African American history. This year, we're also featuring the release of brand new episodes from season two of the "Collected" podcast and hosting a screening of “Forgotten Hero: Walter White and the NAACP” as part of our History Film Forum on February 20. Want to get started right away? Take a look at our collection here: https://s.si.edu/3En5CkJ 📸: Marian Anderson performing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, 1939. Photograph by Robert S. Scurlock, Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center #SmithsonianBHM

Known as the "queen of Tejano music," Selena Quintanilla-Pérez introduced the South Texas sounds of Tejano music, fused with cumbia and pop, to mainstream audiences. The "Como La Flor" and "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" singer released hits in English and Spanish, appealing to fans on both sides of the border. Selena’s charisma and fashion-forward style—from bold red lips to bedazzled bustiers—solidified the singer as a pop culture icon in the 1990s. Selena won her first career #GRAMMY for Best Mexican American Album for “Selena Live!” in 1994. But just as her popularity was skyrocketing across the United States, Selena was tragically killed by the president of her fan club. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Selena’s death at age 23. Swipe to see a few objects from National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian National Museum of American History, National Postal Museum, and Smithsonian American Art Museum that represent Selena’s legacy. Credits: 1: “Selena” by John Dyer, 1992. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. © John Dyer 2: Leather outfit worn by Selena during a performance at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on March 14, 1994, National Museum of American History. 3: Forever Latin Music Legends: Selena single, 2011, National Postal Museum. © USPS. All rights reserved. 4: Rodolfo O. Cuellar, “Selena, A Fallen Angel,“ 1995, screenprint on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum. Museum purchase through the Julia D. Strong Endowment © 2020, Rodolfo O. Cuellar.

When four Black college students sat down to order lunch at this segregated, “whites only” counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, their request was refused. Jibreel Khazan, Franklin E. McCain, Joseph A. McNeil, and David L. Richmond made history #OnThisDay 65 years ago, when they remained in their seats and refused to leave. Their sit-in at Woolworth’s drew national attention and helped ignite a youth-led movement to challenge inequality throughout the South. In Greensboro, hundreds of students, civil rights organizations, churches, and members of the community joined a six-month-long protest. Their commitment ultimately led to the desegregation of the F. W. Woolworth lunch counter on July 25, 1960. When the Greensboro Woolworth's closed in 1993, our Smithsonian National Museum of American History curators worked with Woolworth's executives and representatives of the local community to acquire this section of the historic lunch counter, which is on view at the museum. Swipe to see an image from our Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture of two of the original protestors, McNeil (left) and McCain (right), leaning against the Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro in 2009. 📸: Joseph A. McNeil and Franklin E. McCain, 2009; printed 2019. Photograph by Platon. Courtesy Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. © Platon

“[Chinatown arches] are not just about decoration—they are a visual reminder of our survival”- Ameya Okamoto, multidisciplinary artist and nail tech. Architect Alfred H. Liu’s Friendship Arch has anchored Washington, D.C.’s Chinatown since it was installed in the 1980s. This arch and the history of American Chinatowns inspires Okamoto’s nail art design today. Look closely—each nail represents a specific pillar of the original structure. Thanks for following along on Ameya’s journey! Stay tuned to follow Santana Walker and Celeste Hampton on their visit to the Smithsonian. #NailInspo #NailsByAmeya #SmithsonianInspo #NailArtDesign #NailArt 💅 💅 💅 Video Description: Ameya Okamoto discusses the objects she discovered in a sit-down interview. Close ups include objects related to nail art and Asian American history behind the scenes at our American History Museum. Other clips feature Ameya exploring our Asian Pacific American Center’s “Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond” exhibit and our American Art Museum, as well as her creating a nail set based off Alfred H. Liu’s Friendship Arch in her artist studio. Smithsonian National Museum of American History Smithsonian American Art Museum

The artistry of Beyoncé is undeniable. This year, Beyoncé has been nominated for 11 Grammys, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year. To date, she has won 32 Grammys, the most by a solo artist in history. While Beyoncé’s remarkable achievements speak to her legacy, they also reflect the influence and groundwork laid by Black women who came before her. In the first episode of “Collected: The Musical Genius of Black Women,” Krystal Klingenberg and guests discuss the innovation, labor, impact, and legacy of Black women in music and set the stage for the season to follow. https://s.si.edu/4hn1YpS

"A lot of my work is about making a statement and being an individual.” Multi-disciplinary artist and nail tech Ameya Okamoto finds belonging in works such as Nam June Paik’s “Electronic Superhighway” and expresses her identity in the art she creates. Stay tuned to see Ameya's Smithsonian-inspired nail set design. 💅 Citations💅 Nam June Paik, “Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii,” 1995, fifty-one channel video installation (including one closed-circuit television feed), custom electronics, neon lighting, steel and wood; color, sound, Smithsonian American Art Museum Carlos Villa, “During,” 1982, acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum #NailInspo #NailsByAmeya #SmithsonianInspo #NailArtDesign #NailArt --- Video Description: Ameya Okamoto discusses identity within her experience as an artist in a sit-down interview. Interspersed are clips of Ameya with Nam June Paik’s “Eletronic Superhighway” in our American Art Museum, exploring our Asian Pacific American Center’s “Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond” exhibit, discovering object behind the scenes at our American History Museum, as well as in her artist studio. Smithsonian National Museum of American History Smithsonian American Art Museum

Multi-disciplinary artist and nail tech Ameya Okamoto defies stereotypes by embracing her own sense of style. In this three-part series, join Ameya as she embarks on a journey through the Smithsonian National Museum of American History , Smithsonian American Art Museum and our Asian Pacific American Center’s “Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond” exhibit to create a nail set inspired by her visit. 💅 Citations 💅 Roger Shimomura, “Diary: December 12, 1941,” 1980, acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum Firelei Báez, “Untitled (Premiere Carte Pour L'Introduction A L'Histoire De Monde),” 2022, oil and acrylic on archival printed canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum #NailInspo #NailsByAmeya #SmithsonianInspo #NailArtDesign #NailArt --- Video Description: Introduction to the Smithsonian by Ameya Okamoto followed by clips of her in the National Museum of American History. Ameya has orange hair and is wearing a black shirt with camouflage pants. Two clips feature close ups of detailed nail art designs. Ameya speaks about Asian American history while standing in front of objects in the museum. She continues to speak about Asian American history in a sit-down interview. Other clips include moments in our American Art Museum and in Ameya’s artist studio.

This year, the museum opened "Forensic Science on Trial," a temporary exhibition that examines how people influence the way forensic science is used in the pursuit of justice. The exhibition’s curator, Kristen Frederick-Frost, recently gave us a behind-the-scenes look into its creation: https://s.si.edu/3Wyug8s Forensic Science on Trial is generously made possible by Andrew and Anya Shiva.