Honoring African-American history and culture

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of The Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society.

This gallery features artifacts from the collection of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Pictured here is a cabin used during slavery at Point of Pines Plantation on Edisto Island, South Carolina.

Louis Armstrong, c. 1930

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution.

Trumpet owned by Louis Armstrong.

Chuck Berry’s Cadillac, c. 1973

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Chuck Berry.

This car is one of Chuck Berry's personal fleet of Cadillacs and was driven during the filming of "Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll," a 1987 documentary.

Muhammad Ali Headgear, c. 1960s

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution.

Headgear worn by Muhammad Ali.

Bill of Sale, Dec. 23, 1835

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Candace Greene.

An official copy receipt for the $600 sale of a 16-year-old girl named Polly. This bill of sale transferred ownership from Martin Bridgeman to Wm H. Mood (both from Jackson County, territory of Arkansas).

Nat Turner's Bible, 1830s

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Maurice A. Person and Noah and Brooke Porter.

Bible owned by Nat Turner.

Rosa Parks' Dress, c. 1955

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Joyce A. Bailey.

Dress that Rosa Parks was making shortly before she was arrested for not giving up her seat on a segregated bus.

Black Fashion Museum Collection.

Tuskegee Airplane, c. 1944

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution.

A vintage, open-cockpit biplane that was used at Alabama's renowned Tuskegee Institute to train African-American pilots for Army Air Corps service during World War II.

Harriet Tubman’s Hymnal, c. 1876

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Charles Blockson.

Gospel Hymns No. 2, by P.P. Bliss and Ira D. Sankey. Harriet Tubman's personal book of hymns.

Michael Jackson’s Fedora, c. 1992

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution.

Worn by Michael Jackson during the Victory Tour.

American Beauty Dress, c. 1958-1960

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Joyce A. Bailey.

A silk and satin dress by the designer Ann Lowe.

Black Fashion Museum Collection

16th St. Baptist Church bombing, 1963

National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Joan Mulholland.

Glass shards and a shotgun shell collected from the gutter outside the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, after the bombing that killed four girls.