By Megan Anderson, Manager of Exhibits & Interpretive Planning As we enter August – and our sixth month since COVID-19 turned life in the U.S. upside down– many museums and historical sites are struggling with the question of whether or …
Breaking Ground: The United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum Opens to the Public
By Mimi Eisen, Historian Last week, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum (USOPM) in Colorado Springs first opened to the public, and HAI is proud to have worked with design firm Gallagher & Associates on content development for the …
The Great American Outdoors Act: What is it, why do we need it, and what are the next steps?
By Scott Vierick, Historian Since its formation in 1916, the National Park Service has managed an ever-growing number of resources, from small historic sites to vast stretches of wilderness. Today, there are 419 distinct units in the NPS system, which …
“In the Eye of a Hurricane”: Taking a Stand at the 1968 Olympics
By Mimi Eisen, Historian If not for the coronavirus pandemic, we would currently be in the midst of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, watching awestruck as Simone Biles flew and twisted in midair and no doubt enjoying the …
A Dining Experience to Remember: A Brief History of the Automat, Part 2
By Colleen Kim, Historian If you haven’t already, learn about the origins of the Automat in Part 1 of this blog. No Glorified Slot Machine Despite its mechanical novelty, the Automat was “far from being a glorified slot machine,” as …
A Dining Experience to Remember: A Brief History of the Automat, Part 1
By Colleen Kim, Historian As the country begins to reopen and establish a “new normal,” the question of what the restaurant experience will look like in the coming months looms large. Today, we’re exploring the history of a long-forgotten, low-contact …
The View from Abroad: Lessons from the Reopening of Libraries and Archives in Europe
By Janet Holsinger, Senior Historian Libraries and archives, like other institutions and businesses, are trying to figure out how to adapt to the challenges of reopening arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Because most serve on-site researchers and patrons, staff need …
Malady & Memory: Historic Sites that Preserve the Legacy of Resisting Disease
By Scott Vierick, Historian Disease and pandemics have always been a part of human history, but for every illness, there have been countless people who have worked to study and create treatments and cures. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, HAI historians …
All Bound Up Together: Voices from Reconstruction
By Mimi Eisen, Historian For the past few years, there have been rumblings of a third Reconstruction – the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ‘60s is now widely considered the second. And yet, the namesake of these eras …
Documenting Links Between Financial and Insurance Institutions and Slavery
By Janet Holsinger, Senior Historian The conversation about racism that is now occurring in the United States—and around the globe—is belatedly turning attention to the historical links between financial institutions and the slavery of people of African descent. HAI has …
Pride and Prejudice: A History of LGBTQ+ Civil Disobedience and Protest
By Emily Sullivan, Historian June is Pride Month, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and the freedom of LGBTQ+ individuals to be themselves. While the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of most Pride events, we can still take time …
Fighting for Freedom: African American Troops in the Civil War, Part 2
By Scott Vierick, Historian This is Part 2 of our USCT blog—read Part 1, which explores the origins of the USCT, here. USCT regiments fought in battles throughout the Eastern and Western Theatres of the war. Around 40,000 Black soldiers …