The Price of Freedom

Calvin and Clarence Curtis: Montford Point Marines

By NMAH, February 17, 2022
Sepia-toned photo of young African American man in U.S. Marine Corps uniform

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Frank A. Taylor examines the construction of the National Museum of History
The echoes of war: Curatorial legacies of World War II
A mere 75 years ago aboard the battleship Missouri, representatives of the Japanese Emperor, his government, and the Imperial General...
(Detail image) Black and white photo of an African American man in military uniform. His arms are gently crossed, a watch o his wrist. His head is slightly tilted to the right, with a serious but gentle look on his face. The uniform has pockets, buttons, and a fairly high collar.
Over There: A Buffalo Soldier in World War I
Offered in celebration of Black History Month and in recognition of the 100th anniversary of America's participation in World War I, the...
Man with camera in military uniform
See World War II through the lens of an African American soldier
Using a camera taken from a German officer who had died in battle, Paul Bland documented his experiences across Normandy, Northern France,...

“Maggie of the Boondocks”: Martha Raye and a lifetime of service to the U.S. Armed Forces

By NMAH, November 8, 2021
Martha Raye in conversation with members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Raye and the soldiers sit outside on benches.

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Carlos Martinez
Fighting for country, equal rights, and veterans: Carlos Martinez’s life of service
When he reflected later in life on why, as a young man, he chose to enlist during wartime, Carlos Martinez said that avoiding service was...
Frank A. Taylor examines the construction of the National Museum of History
The echoes of war: Curatorial legacies of World War II
A mere 75 years ago aboard the battleship Missouri, representatives of the Japanese Emperor, his government, and the Imperial General...
A mannequin wears a blonde, spiky wig and a lacquered shift dress with green and gold daisies. The bottom hem, neckline, and sleeves are ruffled with teal, wrist-length gloves and a cigarette holder. Her shoes are green ankle-high booties with low heels and gold details.
The evolution of Phyllis Diller's career in 7 objects
Phyllis Diller is widely considered the first female stand-up comic to perform as a solo act. While she is mainly known for her career in...

How picturing the Boston Massacre matters

By NMAH, April 3, 2020

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An illustration of an African American soldier
How black Philadelphians fought for soldiers during World War I
Suffering from "shell shock and a general breakdown," Charles Mackall and James Randall arrived in Philadelphia in September 1918 from...
An image of a violet fraternal collar--opulently decorated with golden embroidery and a hand painted eye
Making money and doing good: The story of an African American power couple from the 1800s
Artists have long been major players in American philanthropy. If that surprises you to learn, you might be further surprised to learn that...
Powder horn from the colonial era etched with map of New York
You asked, we answered: What did Revolutionary War soldiers have in their pockets?
Linda B. asked through our Facebook page: "I have a research question … What kinds of things would Revolutionary soldiers carry in their...

The little Jeep that could

By NMAH, December 20, 2019

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Fur the war effort
“The world infrequently notes the passing of a squirrel," announced an Arizona radio station on August 10, 1949. But when it comes to the...
America's Kaiser: How a pigeon served in two World Wars
Souvenirs from battlefields the world over can be found in our Division of Political and Military History. Unique among them is a mounted...
This October 9, 1944, advertisement for Whitman's chocolate boxes shows a woman embracing a soldier in uniform kissing her cheek. On the bottom right is a box of Whitman’s Chocolate Sampler. The bold font reads, “A WOMAN NEVER FORGETS THE MAN WHO REMEMBERS,” and, “BUY MORE WAR BONDS.” In fine print below the box of chocolates reads, “If you can’t always get your favorite Sampler, remember it’s because millions of pounds of Whitman’s Chocolates are going to all our fighting fronts.”
"Chocolate is a Fighting Food!" – Chocolate bars in the Second World War
"Do you like chocolate?" That's one of the first questions I ask museum visitors during a chocolate program I lead in the museum's Wallace...

The missing man: One family’s story of the Battle of the Bulge

By NMAH, December 16, 2019

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Tinted portrait of a man.
The quiet hero from Camden: Francis X. McGraw
In November 2019, Private First Class Francis X. McGraw’s Medal of Honor will go on display in our Price of Freedom exhibition. This is his...
The Shepherd of Utah Beach
D-Day. June 6, 1944.  The words bring to mind images of hundreds of landing craft, machines, and American fighting forces landing on...
Audie Murphy: World War II Hero
The National Museum of American History and photographer Robert Weingarten are working in collaboration to build a historic portrait with...

When the dandelion went to war: An American prisoner of war's story

By NMAH, April 9, 2019

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John McCain and other returning soldiers stand before a crowd
Sailor, statesman, symbol: reflecting on John McCain and the Vietnam War
This past Saturday, August 25, Arizona Senator John S. McCain III bid the nation farewell. For 60 years, McCain served the country either...
Shoulder patch with image of an eagle in flight and a parachute in the background
12 days in Hue: An American advisor’s Tet Offensive experience, Part 1
A year ago, a visitor to the exhibition The Price of Freedom: Americans at War wrote me that an American advisor’s uniform from the Army of...
On a boat with waves in the background, a young man with blonde hair holds a video camera to his face. He wears a military vest and pants with bare arms. In front of him--the subject he is filming--is a gun or other military equipment on the boat. An operator's forearm is visible holding/manipulating the gun or equipment.
Combat Photographer: Vietnam through the lens of Marine Corporal William T. Perkins, Jr.
The Vietnam War was the nation's first televised war. Within hours, combat footage of young Americans in uniform in the jungles of South...

The mock battle that ended the Spanish-American War

By NMAH, December 17, 2018
Blue, white, and red banner with an image of Admiral Dewey in center of white stripe, surrounded by laurels.

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A dark-colored cape laid out on a white surface. It has a red lining. One can see what may be a cloche hat next to it.
Where is the missing piece of lining in this U.S. Navy nurse's cape?
"The early morning whistles blew, the water craft sounded their signals in passing, an auto truck went thumping by, and the sun shot into...
Did the Cowardly Lion give the greatest campaign speech of all time? Quite possibly.
Many writers have suggested that L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is an allegory for late 19th-century American Populism. (For a...
Detail of marine chart showing an island
What a load of guano: 5 facts you didn't know about bird poop
To most people, bird poop is just something they scrape off the windshield of their cars, but it's more important than we may think. In...

Grace under pressure

By NMAH, September 24, 2018
Grace Hopper examines a computer at work.

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Total eclipse of the sun, partial eclipse of inequality
"It was now quick work," Maria Mitchell noted. "As the last rays of sunlight disappeared, the corona burst out all around the sun, so...
(Zoom/Detail) Black and white photo of a woman on a stage. On stage are six fridges, two lamps, and a big banner that says "REA." On a table on the floor in front of the stage, a lamp. There are decorative tassels.
Now you're cooking with electricity!
Before Alton Brown, Rachael Ray, and Giada De Laurentiis, there was Louisan Mamer (1910–2005). An early employee of the Rural...
black metal device that looks like a typewriter. All the keys, however, have numbers on them and they are yellow, green, and red.
A curator goes to the movies: The stuff of "Hidden Figures"
Over the past few months, I’ve read Margot Lee Shetterly’s book Hidden Figures and seen the movie with the same title. These...

12 days in Hue: An American advisor’s Tet Offensive experience, Part 2

By NMAH, February 5, 2018
Green and brown military uniform with red beret. Owner’s name, Redding, written on left breast

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Shoulder patch with image of an eagle in flight and a parachute in the background
12 days in Hue: An American advisor’s Tet Offensive experience, Part 1
A year ago, a visitor to the exhibition The Price of Freedom: Americans at War wrote me that an American advisor’s uniform from the Army of...
Collage of images related to military history
Your 10 favorite military history stories of 2017
The sound of a cart rolling down my hallway always makes my ears perk up. My desk is near the workspace for the Division of Armed Forces...
On a boat with waves in the background, a young man with blonde hair holds a video camera to his face. He wears a military vest and pants with bare arms. In front of him--the subject he is filming--is a gun or other military equipment on the boat. An operator's forearm is visible holding/manipulating the gun or equipment.
Combat Photographer: Vietnam through the lens of Marine Corporal William T. Perkins, Jr.
The Vietnam War was the nation's first televised war. Within hours, combat footage of young Americans in uniform in the jungles of South...

12 days in Hue: An American advisor’s Tet Offensive experience, Part 1

By NMAH, February 5, 2018
Shoulder patch with image of an eagle in flight and a parachute in the background

Related Blog Posts

Green and brown military uniform with red beret. Owner’s name, Redding, written on left breast
12 days in Hue: An American advisor’s Tet Offensive experience, Part 2
This post is part two in a series. In part one, curator Frank Blazich introduced U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel James K. Redding, who served...
Detail from scrapbook with photo of Saigon and clips of text
A scrapbook from the Vietnam War brings back memories for a young veteran
When I started my internship in the museum's Division of Armed Forces History, I expected to see reminders of what it was like to be a U.S...
Students show off their letters on a bulletin board
4th graders' notes made a difference to Vietnam War soldiers
My main memory as a fourth grader in 1972-73 was playing "Little Willy" by The Sweet on the classroom's record player while waiting...

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