John Brown, a devout Christian and fierce abolitionist, rose to prominence during “Bleeding Kansas,” fighting to keep the state free of slavery. His 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry and subsequent execution made him an international symbol of the anti-slavery movement. Though best known for Kansas and Harpers Ferry, some scholars argue that the complicated Brown helped ignite the Civil War. Historian and author Stephen Engle, author of the upcoming Reckoning with Justice: The Execution of John Brown, explores Brown’s transformation from zealot to revolutionary.
Maps have shaped America’s identity for over five centuries, serving as tools of diplomacy, governance, reform, and commerce. By translating information into visual form, they reveal both how the world was understood and how it was intended to be seen. More than chronological records, maps provide reminders that the past is not just a chronological story, but also a spatial one. Historian Susan Schulten explores some of the maps and stories that tell the story of American history.
Willa Cather’s visits to Santa Fe in the 1920s with her partner, book editor Edith Lewis, inspired her to research and write the enduring novel she referred to as her best book. Author Garrett Peck examines how the Southwestern setting and spirit of Death Comes for the Archbishop is rooted in those travels.
Written nearly 2,000 years ago, Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations remains one of the most profound, practical guides to living with integrity, resilience, and perspective and cultivating one’s self. Philosopher Samir Chopra leads an exploration of this foundational text of Stoicism through a historically embedded reading of passages, with a view to developing a practice of Stoic principles.
Jazz is more than just music: It is a living cultural narrative that mirrors the complexities, struggles, and triumphs of American society. The form has continually redefined itself, evolving with each generation to extend the boundaries of the genre. During Jazz Appreciation Month, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra invites audiences to experience this vibrant story in sound in a concert that celebrates jazz in all its forms. Selections include music by Jelly Roll Morton, Sun Ra, and Leonard Bernstein.
Historian Alexander Mikaberidze looks beyond the caricature of the frivolous queen to rediscover Marie Antoinette as a complex political actor—a woman negotiating power, motherhood, and identity in an age of revolution. Drawing on art, private correspondence, and contemporary accounts, he re-examines how Marie Antoinette’s image was constructed, weaponized, and ultimately transformed from royal scapegoat to enduring cultural icon.
Military historian Kevin Weddle explores how George Washington’s unique role as Commander in Chief—holding both national and field command throughout the Revolutionary War—shaped America’s path to victory. Focusing on the pivotal year of 1777, Weddle highlights Washington’s leadership through battlefield triumphs at Trenton and Princeton, political challenges after Saratoga, and the march to Valley Forge. He reveals how Washington’s experiences refined his command and prepared him for the challenges ahead.
A painter can create entire worlds on a flat piece of paper. But where is a composer to start when seeking to represent the natural universe through sound? Over time, composers have fashioned powerful musical vocabularies that guide listeners to see harmony as visual image. In a 4-session course, speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin uses her unique live piano demonstrations and film clips to explore how such masters as Beethoven, Mahler, Wagner, Vivaldi, Holst, Vaughan Williams, Saint-Saëns, and others composed beloved works that conjure the natural world.
