Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Portrait of the Art World: French
Brief biographical sketch of sculptor Daniel Chester French.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Portrait of the Art World: Willem De Kooning
Brief essay about the artistic interests of Dutch-born American art legend Willem de Kooning.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Portrait of the Art World: Adolph Gottlieb
Brief essay about the artistic interests of American artist Adolph Gottlieb.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Echoes of Elvis
Exhibition explores the many depictions of rock 'n' roll legend Elvis Presley.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Thomas Paine: The Radical Founding Father
Learn about Thomas Paine through text that accompanies selections from an exhibition of portraits of Paine and artifacts from his writings
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Portraits of American Railroading: Gustavus F. Swift
Read a brief biography of Gustavus Swift, who was at the forefront of developing the refrigerato rail car that revolutionized shipment of meat from the Midwest to the East.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Black List Project: Slash, 2007
Portrait and short profile of Slash, the very talented lead guitarist for a number of years for the famous Guns N' Roses rock band.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Black List Project: Tyler Perry, 2008
Portrait and short profile of the career of Tyler Perry, a playwright, actor, producer, and director. Perry developed and played the character of Madea, a comical grandmother, in the hit show Diary of a Mad Black Woman, as well as in...
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Black List Project: Laurence Fishburne, 2008
Portrait and short profile of the career of Laurence Fishburne, an award-winning screen and stage actor, as well as a playwright, director, and producer.
Smithsonian Institution
Civil War@smithsonian: Winslow Homer's Civil War Sketches
During the Civil War, Winslow Homer was a freelance artist for "Harper's Weekly," a leading news magazine of the day. This site examines Homer's work, which documents the lives of the soldiers who fought for the North. Includes an...
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: For Lands' Sake: George Washington as Land Surveyor
This lesson plan invites the young scholars to explore land surveying in the 18th century. Read an 18th-century land survey and decipher what is actually being said.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Who Am I? (Portrait Puzzler)
Match the portraits of eight famous Americans who played major roles in the American Revolution with their famous deeds. A short exercise that can be used by individual learners to test their understanding of basic U.S. history content...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center: Forces of Change: Worm Watch [Pdf]
Over a period of a week to ten days students observe the impact worms have on soil. Seven easily obtainable objects are all that is needed to complete this activity. 45 minutes are required for setup and some additional time for...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: History Wired: Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington
Learn about the great big band leader Duke Ellington at this informative website. This site highlights his life and career in a well written article.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: Edna St. Vincent Millay
Listen to the comments of Wendy Wick Reaves, curator at the National Portrait Gallery, as she discusses the art of William Zorach in the portrait he did of Edna St. Vincent Millay.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: Robert F. Kennedy
Wendy Wick Reaves, a curator at the National Portrait Gallery, makes observations about the portrait of Robert Kennedy by Roy Lichtenstein.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: Beauford Delaney by Georgia O'keeffe
Fascinating observations of Georgia O'Keeffe's portrait of Beauford Delaney. Listen to Wendy Wick Reaves, a curator at the National Portrait Gallery, explain O'Keeffe's use of pastels.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: Stuart Davis
Wendy Wick Reaves,a curator at the National Portrait Gallery, discusses the pencil drawing by Stuart Davis and explains how he achieves the look of his self-portrait.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: Ornette Coleman
A brief audio discussion of Elaine de Kooning's charcoal drawing of saxophonist, Ornette Coleman. Interesting comments by Wendy Wicks Reaves, curator at the National Portrait Gallery.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: Truman Capote
An interesting appraisal of Don Bachardy's portrait of Truman Capote. Listen to Carol Wick Reaves, curator of the National Portrait Gallery, discusses how this drawing is done in the accompanying audiofile.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: James Baldwin
This audio file from Wendy Wick Reaves, curator of the National Portrait Gallery, discusses the portrait of James Baldwin drawn by Beauford Delaney.
Smithsonian Institution
Lemelson Center: Invention Features: Lewis Latimer
Smithsonian site features the life and many accomplishments of Lewis Latimer, the famous African-American inventor.
Smithsonian Institution
Lemelson Center: The Birth of Hip Hop
Article focuses on the birth of hip-hop and the four elements of the movement: graffiti art, break dancing, DJing, and MCing (rapping). Author continues with the history of the movement and the personalities involved.
Smithsonian Institution
Lemelson Center: True Colors Dyeing Yarn
An interesting history and exploration of the technology and invention of dyes and dyeing from earliest times to present and the effects of new colors in yarns on the economy. This is a complete unit of lessons with activities and...