Mali; Dogon (African people); Dogon (African people) -- Social life and customs; Dogon (African people) -- Religion and mythology; Dogon (African people) -- Rites and ceremonies; Dance; Sculpture
Like many cultures, the cliff-dwelling Dogon peoples of rural Mali in West Africa have special beliefs and practices related to death. It is believed that after a person dies, even if his body is removed, his spirit remains in his home. The spirit...
With his superhuman strength, flying ability and X-ray vision, Superman has remained a popular superhero across generations. His first appearance was in June of 1938 in DC Comics' Action Comics." In 1978 actor Christopher Reeve brought the...
Quilts; Quilting; Quilting -- Patterns; Patchwork quilts; Harrison, William Henry, 1773-1841; Indiana; Governors-- Indiana; Presidents; 19th century
The “Harrison Rose” quilt pattern can be identified by the triangular shapes that circle the outside edges of the roses. The Harrison Rose quilt pattern was popular in the Midwest from about 1840-1880. The pattern was named for William Henry...
Yoruba (African people); Yoruba (African people) -- Social life and customs; Twins; Mourning customs
Twins hold a special place among the Yoruba of Nigeria where they have the highest rate of twin births in the world. They are protected by the God of Twins, called Ibeji,” and are believed to have the power to bring good fortune, health and...
Money; Africa, West; Africa, West--Social life and customs; Liberia; New Guinea
“Kissie Pennies" or "Gizzie Iron" are twisted iron rods, about 7 to 12 inches long, that were used as currency in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea in West Africa from the 19th to the mid 20th century. Rods were often bundled and...
Toys; Ships; Ship models; Battleships; Maine (Battleship); Spanish-American War, 1898
The USS Maine was America’s first modern battleship when it was made in 1895. When President McKinley sent the Maine to Cuba in 1898, he hoped that its presence there would pressure Spain into granting Cuba its independence. Unfortunately, the...
Mexico; Mexico -- Social life and customs; Masks; Jaguar; 1970s
Animals are very important in Mexican culture. It's believed that each human being has an animal guardian or soul companion, called a tona (or tono). Jaguars, known as "tigres" in Mexico, are very symbolic. The most revered and feared of...
This is an early desktop electronic calculator made by the Friden company in 1965. It was very expensive and seems clunky by today’s standards, but was sleek, advanced technology for the time. The owner’s manual promised that using the...
This never-worn dress from 1956 was originally for sale at Zukors (part of a West Coast chain of women's ready-to-wear specialty stores) in San Francisco. It is very representative of the style of the time. If you’ve ever watched popular 1950s TV...
Clothing and dress; Nineteen sixties; Nineteen seventies
This may look like a woman’s outfit, but it was made for a man to wear! This polyester suit was made by Richman Brothers of Indianapolis and was the height of fashion in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Its “Op Art” pattern creates an optical...
Archery; Uniforms; Sports uniforms; Olympic Games (23rd : 1984 : Los Angeles, Calif.)
The United States hosted the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Athletes competing on the archery team wore jerseys like this one. One hundred forty nations competed in the 23rd Olympiad, but the Soviet Union, East Germany and twelve other eastern...
The 1992 Summer Olympics was the first in which professional athletes were allowed to play on the United States basketball team. The "Dream Team," as it was called, included Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, David Robinson, Charles Barkley,...
Olympics; Utah; Salt Lake City (Utah); Winter Olympic Games (19th : 2002 : Salt Lake City, Utah)
The mascots of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics represented the land and culture of Utah and the American West. Inspired by images from ancient petroglyphs, Powder the Hare, Coal the Bear and Copper the Coyote were chosen as ideal icons for...
Christmas decorations; Christmas tree ornaments; 19th century
Sarah E. Gartman of York, Pennsylvania made these Christmas ornaments for her grandchildren in the 1880s. Formed with a mold, Gartman carefully cut, baked and painted these crackers. The largest ornament represents the religious aspect of the...
This patchwork panel is made from a collection of premiums that came with cigarettes. Ladies’ magazines featured do-it-yourself designs like this, but men were the ones who purchased tobacco products. The lovely ladies on these “silks” were...
In Ancient times, written numbers did not exist. The earliest counting device was the human hand and its fingers. Then, as larger quantities were counted, various natural items like pebbles and twigs were used to help count. Merchants who traded...
Dolls, Toys; Christ Church Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.); Christ Church Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) -- History; Indianapolis (Ind.) -- Churches; Indianapolis (Ind.)
Abby Cady dolls were made by the sewing guild of Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis and sold as a fund raiser from about 1890 to the 1930s. The dolls were named after Mrs. Abigail Cady, who was president of the sewing guild for many years....
An accordion is a kind of musical instrument sometimes called a “squeezebox” that was invented in the early 19th century. This accordion belonged to Samuel Williams. He was a professional musician and performed regularly with his wife Ruthie,...
Accordions, concertinas, and melodeons are free reed instruments that are part of the aerophone family. Aerophone instruments produce sound by the vibration of air. These instruments have end keyboards and make sound by driving air over their...
Brooks, Garth; Guitar; Country musicians; Country music; Autographs; 1990s
Country Music artist Garth Brooks helped change the face of country music in the 1990s. He attracted thousands of new fans to country music with his appeal to country and popular music fans as well as his boundless energy. Since his debut album of...
