Studying political history can’t help predict the future, but it can offer a sense of perspective in stressful times. As the 2024 presidential election approaches, political history curators from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History are gathering materials and memorabilia to document this election cycle for the national collections.

Curator Jon Grinspan has been attending Democratic and Republican contests and rallies throughout the year, looking for materials that reflect debates, protests, and on-site and digital campaign activities. Join Grinspan for an analysis of how this presidential campaign fits into the long history of American democracy. What is truly unprecedented? What have campaigners tried before?

Grinspan draws from the Smithsonian’s work collecting from the 2024 primaries, party conventions, and protests, as well as elections stretching deep into America’s democratic past. He discusses how the curatorial team seeks out objects that represent a celebration of democracy, how people express and exercise their right to vote, and how parties and individuals showcase their identity and candidate preferences. The ongoing collecting at primaries and party conventions provides insight into the evolving spirit and complexity of the country’s political landscape.

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