Welcome to the Searchable Museum

A place to explorehistory and culturethrough anAfrican American lens

More Than a Flower

Learn how African American orchid enthusiasts use the flower to create community. Explore how artists use orchids for inspiration.

Hands holding a colorful orchid against a background of green leaves.

View the Orchids Exhibit

At the Vanguard

Learn how Historically Black Colleges and Universities have preserved African American cultural heritage, activism, education, and academic achievement.

Black-and-white photo of people viewing art in a gallery setting, with various framed artworks displayed on the walls.

Explore the Vanguard

In Slavery’s Wake

Learn how Black people resisted enslavement, claimed their humanity, and created freedom around the world. Learn how slavery and colonialism shape society today.

A black-and-white photo of three women in white dresses standing in ocean waves during a memorial ritual.

Explore the Wake

Constellations

Artifacts and topics illuminating connections to history

The Olivetti Studio 46 Typewriter has a teal blue body and white keys, except for one red key on the right..

A head to chest view of the Black Panther suit. Fully covering the face, the suit is a sleek and cat like.

A sliver space vehicle with multiple legs and colored lights, replicating the originally Mothership.

Painting of a person with red ginkgo leaves over their eyes and around them, against a textured background.

The pendant that was given for the Prairie View A&M College Industrial Education Award.

Start Exploring

Stories

Shining a new light on the African American past and its people.

Explore Stories

A child rides past debris in New Orleans

Stories / Historic Event

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina devastated many communities in New Orleans. Learn about the storm’s impact and New Orleanians’ determination to rebuild their communities.

Stories / Biography

George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver was a scientist, inventor, and artist. Learn how his research at Tuskegee University improved the lives of Black farmers.

Black-and-white historical photograph of two women standing side by side, dressed in formal late 19th or early 20th-century attire.

Stories / Biography

Monroe and Florence Work

Monroe and Florence Work were sociologists who studied African American life. Learn how their research revealed truths about the Black experience.

Black and white photo of a book signing event, with a seated individual (Margaret Walker) signing books at a table surrounded by people holding or observing copies of the same book.

Stories / Biography

Margaret Walker

Margaret Walker was a writer and teacher at Jackson State University. Learn about her career as a novelist, poet, and educator.

Printed cartoon showing the assignation of Octavius Catto in Philadelphia in 1871.

Stories / Biography

Octavius V. Catto

Octavius Catto was a civil rights activist in Pennsylvania. Learn about his life and impact in Philadelphia’s Black community during Reconstruction.

A photograph of an African American woman washing laundry outdoors in a yard. Clothes hand behind her on a line.

Stories / Historic Event

Atlanta Washerwomen Strike

In 1881, washerwomen in Atlanta formed a union and went on strike to demand better wages. Learn about the harsh conditions they faced and how they won.

Black and white photgraph of 6 Black children standing in a line with hands by theri side. There are 2 boys and 4 girls pictured. The children are dressed up for school and look directly at the camera

Stories / Historic Event

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

The Brown v. Board decision overturned segregation in public schools. Learn how the Legal Defense Fund built lawsuits to challenge segregation in the courts.

How We Know What We Know

Methods, tools, and sources used to study African American history and culture

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Visit the Museum

Plan Your Visit

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture's Searchable Museum is made possible through the generous support of: