All language subtitles for Americas.National.Treasures.2010.1080p.WEBRip.x264.AAC-[YTS.MX]

>> narrator: WHAT IS A TRUE

Downloaded from
YTS.MX

AMERICAN TREASURE?

>> DIZZY GILLESPIE'S TRUMPET.

>> ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S HAT.

>> TITO PUENTE'S DRUMS.

>> GEORGE WASHINGTON'S COAT.

Official YIFY movies site:
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>> A GOWN THAT JACKIE KENNEDY

WORE.

>> BABE RUTH'S SIGNED BASEBALL.

>> THE MUHAMMAD ALI GLOVES.

>> R2D2 AND CP3O.

>> narrator: THESE OBJECTS SEEM

TO HAVE LITTLE IN COMMON.

BUT THEY ALL REPRESENT THE RICH

DIVERSITY OF U.S. HISTORY:

DRAMATIC EVENTS--

LIFE-CHANGING DISCOVERIES--

REMARKABLE INVENTIONS--

LEGENDARY PEOPLE.

CURATORS AT THE SMITHSONIAN'S

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN

HISTORY HAVE TAKEN ON A

MONUMENTAL TASK: FROM THE

MUSEUM'S THREE MILLION

ARTIFACTS, CHOSE A GROUP OF

OBJECTS THAT MOST DEFINE THE

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.

>> IT'S REALLY A CONCENTRATED,

POWERFUL EXPERIENCE TO BE IN THE

PRESENCE OF ALL OF THESE GREAT

THINGS AT ONCE.

>> narrator: FOR THE FIRST TIME

EVER, THESE NATIONAL TREASURES

CAN BE SEEN IN ONE PLACE, AND

SHARE ONE AMAZING STORY.

>> IT REALLY IS THIS WONDERFUL

SNAPSHOT OF WHO WE ARE, OF

AMERICAN IDENTITY, OF WHAT THE

NATION IS.

>> narrator: IT'S 200 YEARS OF

HISTORY AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT

BEFORE THROUGH AMERICA'S

TREASURES.

WASHINGTON, D.C., HOME TO

MONUMENTS HONORING THE GREAT

EVENTS, PEOPLE AND IDEALS THAT

HAVE SHAPED AMERICA'S HISTORY.

BUT OUR HISTORY IS MORE THAN

STORIES CAST IN MARBLE AND

STONE.

AT THE SMITHSONIAN'S NATIONAL

MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY, THE

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE COMES TO

LIFE.

>> Glass: THE MUSEUM OF

AMERICAN HISTORY HAS A UNIQUE

MISSION.

THIS IS THE ONLY MUSEUM IN THE

WORLD THAT HAS THE MISSION OF

TELLING THE WHOLE STORY OF

AMERICAN HISTORY.

>> narrator: OVER THE DECADES,

THE MUSEUM HAS AMASSED A

COLLECTION OF OVER THREE MILLION

OBJECTS FROM THE PAST.

A TREASURE TROVE SO VAST, MOST

PIECES ARE RARELY DISPLAYED.

IN 2006, THE MUSEUM CLOSED ITS

DOORS FOR A MAJOR TWO-YEAR

RENOVATION.

BUT ITS CURATORS TOOK ON A

SPECIAL MISSION.

FIND AMONG THE MUSEUM'S GREATEST

PIECES, A NEW WAY TO EXPERIENCE

AMERICA'S PAST.

AND IT'S ALL HERE IN THE

"TREASURES OF AMERICAN HISTORY."

>> THE VISION FOR

THE EXHIBITION WAS TO REMIND

PEOPLE THAT AMERICAN HISTORY IS

A STORY, A SERIES OF STORIES

THAT INCLUDES AMAZING

ACCOMPLISHMENTS, LEGENDARY

INDIVIDUALS, CHALLENGING

MILESTONES AND DEFINING MOMENTS

OF AMERICAN HISTORY, AS WELL AS

EXTRAORDINARY DIVERSITY.

>> narrator: CURATORS

KATY KENDRICK AND

PETER LIEBHOLD SPEARHEADED THE

SELECTIONS FOR THE EXHIBITION.

>> HERE IN THE MUSEUM, TREASURE

IS REALLY ABOUT THE STORY THAT

SOMETHING THAT CAN, AND THAT'S

WHERE THE TRUE VALUE REALLY

RESIDES.

THE IDEA OF DOING A TREASURES

EXHIBIT WAS BOTH REALLY EXCITING

AND ALSO, REALLY DAUNTING.

THE CHANCE TO GO INTO THE

STORAGE ROOMS, TO FIND THE

HIDDEN CORNERS AND THE CABINETS

WHERE THERE ARE THINGS THAT

HADN'T BEEN EXHIBITED IN YEARS,

OR EVEN EVER, AND TO LEARN FROM

THE CURATORS THEMSELVES WHAT

OBJECTS THEY KNEW ABOUT, AND

THAT THEY FELT WERE TREASURES.

>> woman: --THE ONES IN THE

FRONT ROW HERE.

>> narrator: PETER AND KATY

DECIDED TO INCLUDE OBJECTS THAT

REPRESENT BOTH AMERICA'S

TRIUMPHS--

AND HER TRAGEDIES.

>> Liebhold: WE ALWAYS CELEBRATE

OUR PAST.

THEN IT LOOKS EASY IF WE

UNDERSTAND WHERE WE SOMETIMES

STUMBLED, WE ARE BETTER EQUIPPED

TO ANSWER THE CHALLENGES OF THE

FUTURE.

>> narrator: IN ALL, 150

TREASURES, ALL ICONS, WERE

CHOSEN, REPRESENTING THE

EXHIBITION'S BASIC THEMES;

THE NATION'S CHALLENGES,

OUR MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE.

BUT FIRST, THE COUNTRY'S SPIRIT

OF CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION,

THE STORY OF AMERICA.

>> Liebhold: CREATIVITY

INNOVATION IS VERY FUNDAMENTALLY

AN AMERICAN TRAIT.

WE TELL THE STORY OF INNOVATION

AND INDUSTRIAL SCENE.

BUT WE ALSO TALK ABOUT HOW DAILY

LIFE HAS BEEN FUNDAMENTALLY

CHANGED THROUGH INNOVATION AND

CREATIVITY.

>> narrator: IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO

IMAGINE THE STORY OF AMERICAN

INNOVATION WITHOUT ONE MAN,

THOMAS EDISON.

DESPITE LITTLE FORMAL SCHOOLING,

HIS WORK WOULD MAKE HIM A STAR.

>> Wallace: IN 1878, EDISON

IS ALREADY FAMOUS THE WORLD OVER

AS THE MAN WHO CAN MAKE A

MACHINE TALK.

HE'S INVENTED THE PHONOGRAPH AND

THAT'S MADE HIS REPUTATION.

AND SO AFTER THIS, HE'S KIND OF

THINKING ABOUT, OKAY, WHAT CAN I

DO NEXT.

>> narrator: CHOOSING ONE OBJECT

TO REPRESENT EDISON'S GENIUS IS

DIFFICULT.

BUT OUT OF HIS RECORD 1,093

PATENTS, ONLY ONE IS THE LITERAL

DEFINITION OF A BRIGHT IDEA--

THE ELECTRIC LIGHT BULB.

THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW SURVIVING

BULBS FROM EDISON'S FIRST PUBLIC

DEMONSTRATION OF HIS MOST FAMOUS

INVENTION.

DECEMBER 31ST, 1879, EDISON

PREPARES TO GO PUBLIC WITH HIS

LATEST BULB, MUCH TO THE RELIEF

OF HIS INVESTORS.

HE INVITES THE WORLD TO A

DEMONSTRATION AT HIS LAB IN

MENLO PARK.

>> SPECIAL TRAINS WERE RUN OUT

FROM NEW YORK TO BRING, NOT JUST

THE INVESTORS, BUT, YOU KNOW,

VARIOUS PEOPLE WHO WERE

INTERESTED, BECAUSE EDISON WAS A

CELEBRITY.

HE LIT THE LAB, HE LIT THE

OFFICE, HE LIT THE GROUNDS, AND

HE LIT SARAH JORDAN'S BOARDING

HOUSE, ACROSS THE STREET WITH 60

OR 70 OF THE NEW LIGHT BULBS.

THIS DEMONSTRATION WAS

SIGNIFICANT IN THAT IT WAS THE

APPLICATION THAT GOT PEOPLE TO

WIRE THEIR HOMES, TO WIRE THEIR

BUSINESSES, TO WIRE THEIR

SCHOOLS AND FACTORIES.

AND THIS IS WHAT ORDINARY PEOPLE

BEGAN TO SEE AS A WAY TO USE

THIS WONDROUS NEW FORCE.

>> narrator: THE NATIONAL MUSEUM

OF AMERICAN HISTORY HAS

COLLECTED HUNDREDS OF EDISON'S

BULBS. BUT THE TRUE TREASURE IS

THE BULB FROM THE NIGHT

THOMAS EDISON TURNED ON THE

LIGHTS FOR AMERICA.

>> Liebhold: EDISON FELT

VINDICATED BY THIS

DEMONSTRATION.

IT JUST SOLIDIFIED HIS

REPUTATION.

AND HERE'S THE MAN WHO CAN BRING

LIGHT TO THE MASSES, AND INDEED

THAT'S HOW HE WAS PORTRAYED FOR

MOST OF THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

>> narrator: WHILE EDISON HELP

LIGHT UP STREETS, HOMES AND

BUSINESSES, ANOTHER 19TH CENTURY

INVENTION SHED LIGHT ON HOW

AMERICANS SAW THEMSELVES.

>> Delaney: GEORGE EASTMAN'S

KODAK CAMERA OF 1888 IS A SMALL

HAND-HELD BOX.

IT WAS THE FIRST HAND-HELD

SNAPSHOT CAMERA, AND

GEORGE EASTMAN WAS ABLE TO

REVOLUTIONIZE THE FIELD OF

PHOTOGRAPHY.

>> narrator: SUDDENLY,

PICTURE-TAKING BECAME CONVENIENT

AND EASY.

>> Delaney: EVERYTHING WAS DONE

FOR YOU BY KODAK.

SO YOU'D BUY A CAMERA FOR $25,

AND IT WOULD BE FULLY LOADED

WITH A HUNDRED IMAGES.

SO YOU COULD TAKE THOSE HUNDRED

IMAGES. WHEN YOU WERE FINISHED,

YOU WOULD SEND IT BACK TO

ROCHESTER TO THE EASTMAN-KODAK

COMPANY.

THEY WOULD PRINT YOUR NEGATIVES,

YOU WOULD GET YOUR PRINTS

RETURNED TO YOU, ALONG WITH THE

NEGATIVES, AND FOR TEN DOLLARS,

IT WAS ALL DONE.

>> narrator: IN TODAY'S MONEY,

THAT'S OVER 200 DOLLARS.

NOT CHEAP, BUT IT WAS A HIT.

PERHAPS NO ART FORM HAS

DOMINATED AMERICAN CULTURE MORE

THAN MOVING PICTURES.

SO CHOOSING ONE MOVIE TO

REPRESENT NEARLY A HUNDRED YEARS

OF HOLLYWOOD WAS A CHALLENGE.

CURATORS SETTLED ON A TIMELESS

FAVORITE.

>> OH!

>> ONE, TWO, THREE.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.

>> THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.

>> THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.

>> narrator: "THE WIZARD OF OZ"

PREMIERED IN 1939, LEADING

AUDIENCES THROUGH AN IMAGINARY

WORLD OF VIVID TECHNICOLOR.

>> IT WAS A FILM THAT,

AS A CREATIVE MASTERPIECE,

COMBINES THE NEW TECHNOLOGY OF

TECHNICOLOR WITH THE EXECUTION

OF REALLY AN INNOVATIVE AND

WONDERFUL STORY.

>> TOTO, I HAVE A FEELING WE'RE

NOT IN KANSAS ANY MORE.

>> narrator: THE RUBY SLIPPERS,

WORN BY JUDY GARLAND'S

CHARACTER, DOROTHY, ARE

INSTANTLY RECOGNIZABLE.

TODAY, THEY'RE AMONG THE MOST

POPULAR OBJECTS IN THE MUSEUM'S

COLLECTION.

>> Bowers: THEY ARE PRICELESS

SHOES. THE JOY OF THE RUBY

SLIPPERS IS THAT THEY REMAIN

A REAL ICON IN AMERICAN CULTURE

THAT HAVE POWER WELL BEYOND THE

SHOES, WELL BEYOND THEIR

DISPLAY, WELL BEYOND THE FILM.

>> narrator: AND CAN ANYONE

IMAGINE DOROTHY'S SLIPPERS IN

ANY OTHER COLOR?

BUT ORIGINALLY, THEY WEREN'T

SUPPOSED TO BE RED.

IN FRANK BAUM'S BOOK, THE BASIS

FOR THE MOVIE, THE SLIPPERS ARE

ACTUALLY SILVER, AND THEY STAYED

THAT WAY THROUGH AN EARLY DRAFT

OF THE SCREENPLAY.

BUT THE PRODUCERS FELT SILVER

WASN'T DRAMATIC ENOUGH FOR

TECHNICOLOR.

SO, THE SLIPPERS' SEEMINGLY

PERFECT COLOR CHOICE WAS

ACTUALLY A LAST MINUTE CHANGE.

>> Bowers: BECAUSE THE FILM HAD

TO CONNOTE FANTASY, THE SHOES

HAD TO HAVE AN INNER POWER, AND

THAT RUBY GLOW WAS WHAT MADE

THEM HAVE THAT.

>> narrator: YET ALL THOSE YEARS

IN THE SPOTLIGHT WOULD TAKE THE

SPARKLE OUT OF ANYTHING, EVEN

RUBY SLIPPERS.

DEEP IN THE BASEMENT OF THE

MUSEUM IN AN AREA OFF LIMITS TO

VISITORS, IS THE OBJECTS

CONSERVATION LAB.

CONSERVATOR BETH RICHWINE HAS

THE DELICATE TASK OF GETTING

AMERICA'S TREASURES READY FOR

DISPLAY.

>> WELL, I'M CLEANING THE RUBY

SLIPPERS AND I'VE HAD TO DO SOME

TESTS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I CAN

CLEAN THEM WITH.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY VERY FADED

BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN ON EXHIBIT

FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

SO I'M HOPING SOME OF THE DIRT

REMOVAL WILL BRIGHTEN THEM UP.

>> narrator: CHEMICAL TESTS ON

THE SLIPPERS REVEAL THAT THE

SEQUINS ARE MADE OF GELATIN, AN

ORGANIC SUBSTANCE EASILY DAMAGED

BY MOST CLEANING SOLVENTS.

SO BETH MUST USE A SMALL BIT OF

COTTON DIPPED IN ICE WATER TO

CLEAN THEM.

IT'S A PAINSTAKING JOB DONE ONE

SEQUIN AT A TIME.

>> AT FIRST, YOU THINK, OH WOW,

THE RUBY SLIPPERS, AND NO ONE

ELSE GETS TO TOUCH THESE.

BUT ONCE YOU START ON IT AND YOU

START DOING THE TASK, IT'S

REALLY--IT'S ALL ABOUT THE

MATERIALS AND HOW THEY'RE GOING

TO REACT.

THEN YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT

SORT OF THING AND NOT SO MUCH,

YOU KNOW, DISTRACTED BY THE

GLITZ OF WHAT THEY ACTUALLY ARE.

>> narrator: BETH'S JOB CAN BE A

LITTLE LIKE A FORENSIC

DETECTIVE'S.

USING A HAND-HELD MICROSCOPE,

SHE UNCOVERS THE SECRET BEHIND

THE SPARKLE.

>> Richwine: AND AS I MOVE THIS

OVER THE SHOE, YOU CAN SEE IN AN

AREA LIKE THIS, THAT THERE'S

LIKE A NETTING UNDERNEATH THE

SEQUINS. AND IT WAS JUST A

NORMAL SHOE AND THEY PUT THE

NETTING OVER IT TO ALLOW THEM TO

STITCH THE SEQUINS INTO THE

PIECE.

>> narrator: FROM THE BEGINNINGS

OF COLORED FILM TO THE BIRTH OF

THE BLOCKBUSTER, INNOVATIONS IN

MOVIE MAKING HAVE HAD AN

ENORMOUS IMPACT ON POPULAR

CULTURE.

AT FIRST GLANCE, THE NEXT

OBJECTS REPRESENTING INNOVATION

SEEM HUMBLE IN COMPARISON.

BUT HALF A CENTURY AGO, THEY

HELD THE POWER TO SAVE THOUSANDS

OF LIVES.

THESE TINY BOTTLES CONTAINED A

VACCINE TO PREVENT POLIO, A

VIRUS THAT PUT FEAR INTO THE

HEART OF EVERY PARENT.

IT STRUCK INFANTS AND CHILDREN

WITHOUT WARNING, OFTEN CAUSING

LIFELONG PARALYSIS, OR DEATH.

>> Katherine: FOR MOST OF THE

TWENTIETH CENTURY BEFORE AIDS

CAME ON THE SCENE, POLIO WAS THE

MOST FAMOUS, OR INFAMOUS DISEASE

IN THE COUNTRY, BECAUSE IT

CAUSED PARALYSIS, MOSTLY IN

CHILDREN.

THAT TRAUMA IS WHAT MADE IT SO

FEARFUL AND SO FAMOUS.

>> narrator: IN 1952, THE WORST

POLIO OUTBREAK IN U.S. HISTORY

STRUCK NEARLY 58,000 AMERICAN

CHILDREN.

OVER A THIRD WERE LEFT WITH SOME

FORM OF PARALYSIS, LOSING THE

USE OF THEIR LIMBS, OR EVEN

THEIR LUNGS, FOR LIFE.

FIVE PERCENT OF THE VICTIMS

DIED.

THEN, TWO YEARS LATER,

ONE MAN FOUND HOPE.

>> THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF

RESEARCHERS WHO WORKED ON THE

PROBLEM OF HOW TO CREATE A

VACCINE FOR POLIO.

AND THEN, SALK COMES ON THE

SCENE AND FIGURES OUT A WAY TO

CREATE A VACCINE THAT IS SAFE,

POTENT AND EFFECTIVE.

>> narrator: IN 1954,

DR. JONAS SALK OVERSAW A

CLINICAL TRIAL OF HIS VACCINE.

AT 215 TEST SITES, 1.8 MILLION

SCHOOL CHILDREN LINED UP FOR

SHOTS.

THESE VACCINE BOTTLES AND

SYRINGE WERE USED BY DR. SALK

HIMSELF TO VACCINATE CHILDREN

DURING THE TEST.

>> Katherine: THEY TOOK BLOOD

FROM ALL THE KIDS AND THEN

ANALYZED ALL THE DATA AND THEN

ANNOUNCED THAT, SURE ENOUGH, THE

VACCINE WORKED.

IT WAS, I THINK, LIKE 80

PERCENT, 75 PERCENT EFFECTIVE.

CHURCH BELLS RANG, MOTHERS CRIED

AND HUGGED THEIR CHILDREN, AND

JONAS SALK BECAME AN OVERNIGHT

CELEBRITY.

HE WAS A HERO.

HE WAS ON TV AND RADIO.

HE GOT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS

OF LETTERS OF "THANK YOU" WITHIN

DAYS BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A MAJOR

EVENT.

SO, THIS TINY LITTLE VIAL AND

THIS SMALL SYRINGE WERE PART OF

SUCH A MONUMENTAL EVENT IN

HISTORY.

>> narrator: THE SALK POLIO

VACCINE WAS NOT ONLY A MEDICAL

INNOVATION, IT WAS A DRAMATIC

RESPONSE TO A NATIONAL

CHALLENGE.

AND THERE HAD BEEN MANY OTHERS

IN THE TWO CENTURIES SINCE THE

NATION'S FOUNDING.

>> EVERY AMERICAN NEEDS TO

UNDERSTAND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN

CHALLENGES IN THE PAST, AND THAT

THERE ARE NO SIMPLE ANSWERS TO

THOSE CHALLENGES.

>> SO THESE OBJECTS REMIND US OF

THE STRUGGLES THAT WE'VE BEEN

THROUGH AND THEY CAN ALSO

PROVIDE INSPIRATION FOR DEALING

WITH STRUGGLES THAT WE FACE NOW.

>> narrator: AN OBVIOUS STARTING

POINT IS THE CHALLENGE THAT

BEGAN IN 1776, THE FOUNDING OF A

NATION.

IT'S A STORY WITH NO SHORTAGE OF

FAMOUS ARTIFACTS.

BUT ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT,

MAYBE THE LEAST KNOWN--

A SMALL WOODEN BOX THAT HELPED

LAUNCH ONE OF THE GREAT TURNING

POINTS IN HISTORY.

>> Glass: JEFFERSON'S WRITING

TABLE WAS THE TABLE ON WHICH HE

WROTE THE DECLARATION OF

INDEPENDENCE.

AND THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT,

IF NOT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT

OBJECT IN OUR COLLECTION.

>> Kendrick: JEFFERSON WAS DOING

A LOT OF TRAVELING AT THE TIME

OF THE DECLARATION OF

INDEPENDENCE WAS ABOUT TO BE

WRITTEN, BETWEEN MONTICELLO, HIS

HOME IN VIRGINIA, AND

PHILADELPHIA, WHERE THE

CONTINENTAL CONGRESS WAS

MEETING.

AND SO, ONE OF THE THINGS HE

THOUGHT WOULD BE TO HAVE THIS

PORTABLE WRITING DESK THAT HE

COULD TAKE WITH HIM ON HIS

TRAVELS.

>> narrator: THOMAS JEFFERSON,

ON THE ORDER OF THE CONTINENTAL

CONGRESS IN PHILADELPHIA, WAS

COMMISSIONED TO WRITE THE

DECLARATION ON JUNE 11TH, 1776.

THOSE FAMOUS WORDS WE ALL KNOW

SO WELL, OR DO WE?

>> woman: CAN YOU RECITE ANY

PART OF THE DECLARATION OF

INDEPENDENCE?

>> OH.

UM--

>> OH MY GOD.

[LAUGH]

>> WE THE PEOPLE.

>> WE THE PEOPLE IN ORDER TO

FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION.

>> WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED

STATES IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE

PERFECT UNION ESTABLISH JUSTICE,

ENSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY.

>> WHEN IN THE COURSE OF HUMAN

EVENTS--

>> narrator: WE MIGHT STRUGGLE

WITH THE WORDS, BUT WE'LL NEVER

FORGET THE MEANING.

JEFFERSON DRAFTED PARTS OF THE

DECLARATION ON THIS VERY DESK.

AND ON JULY 4TH, 1776, THE

AMERICAN COLONIES PROCLAIMED

THEIR FREEDOM FROM BRITISH RULE.

>> Liebhold: IT'S SUCH A

WONDERFUL MOMENT IN HISTORY.

THE FORMATION OF THE IDEALS OF

THE COUNTRY, THE DRAFTING OF THE

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, THE

COMING TOGETHER OF A BUNCH OF

PEOPLE TO DETERMINE WHAT STANDS

TO THIS VERY DAY.

>> narrator: JEFFERSON KNEW

AMERICA WOULD CHERISH THE DESK

UPON WHICH THE DECLARATION WAS

DRAFTED.

AND SO, ATTACHED A NOTE TO IT,

ONE RARELY, IF EVER, SEEN BY THE

PUBLIC.

>> Kendrick: UNFORTUNATELY, WE

CAN'T DISPLAY IT UPSIDE DOWN IN

THE EXHIBIT.

SO IT'S KIND OF A HIDDEN

TREASURE OF THIS OBJECT.

THAT THERE IS THIS NOTE ATTACHED

TO THE BOTTOM IN JEFFERSON'S OWN

HANDWRITING IN WHICH HE SAYS--

>> male voice-over: "POLITICS AS

"WELL AS RELIGION

"HAS ITS SUPERSTITIONS.

"THESE GAINING STRENGTH WITH

"TIME MAY ONE DAY GIVE IMAGINARY

"VALUE TO THIS RELIC FOR ITS

"ASSOCIATION WITH THE BIRTH OF

"THE GREAT CHARTER OF OUR

INDEPENDENCE."

>> Kendrick: SO IT'S A NICE KIND

OF GLIMPSE INTO JEFFERSON'S

PERSONALITY THAT KNOWING THAT

AMERICANS WOULD HAVE THIS HUNGER

FOR HISTORY.

>> narrator: A PERSONAL NOTE

FROM THE FOUNDING FATHER ADDS A

RARE TOUCH TO AN AMERICAN

TREASURE.

BUT JEFFERSON'S WORDS WERE JUST

THE FIRST SALVO IN A STRUGGLE

THAT WOULD BE SETTLED AT

GUNPOINT.

FAR FROM PUBLIC VIEW,

ONE SPECIAL ROOM HOLDS AN

EXTRAORDINARY COLLECTION OF

HISTORICAL FIREPOWER.

>> Miller: IT'S KIND OF FUN

COMING IN HERE IN WHAT WOULD BE

A ROOM FULL OF GUNS, EVERYDAY.

>> narrator: CURATOR

DAVID MILLER IS THE KEEPER OF

THE MUSEUM'S GUN ROOM,

OFFICIALLY KNOWN AS THE NATIONAL

FIREARMS COLLECTION.

IT'S THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE

ASSORTMENT OF HISTORICAL

FIREARMS IN AMERICA.

FROM MILITARY FIREARMS USED

TODAY TO A HAND CANNON DATING

FROM THE 15TH CENTURY.

IN ONE ROW ALONE, THERE ARE

RACKS OF MUSKETS, A DRAWER FULL

OF CIVIL WAR ERA PERCUSSION

REVOLVERS, AND EVEN THE MOTHER

OF ALL SWISS ARMY KNIVES.

>> Miller: IT HAS OVER A HUNDRED

BLADES ON IT, AND THEY INCLUDE A

REVOLVER, A STRAIGHT RAZOR, AND

EVEN MINIATURE BLADES AND

SCISSORS.

>> narrator: FROM THIS

7,000-PIECE COLLECTION, CURATORS

CHOSE JUST THREE FOR THE

EXHIBITION, THE COLT PATTERSON

REVOLVER OF 1839,

A RARE REVOLVER USED BY A

CONFEDERATE OFFICER,

AND A RIFLE PRESENTED TO

PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

THE 1839 COLT PATTERSON REVOLVER

IS KNOWN AS

"THE GUN THAT WON THE WEST"

THANKS TO AN INGENIOUS

INNOVATION.

>> IT'S A FIVE-SHOT 36-CALIBER

REVOLVER.

AT THE TIME IT WAS DEVELOPED AND

INVENTED, MOST PISTOLS ONLY

FIRED ONE SHOT AT A TIME, AND

YOU HAD TO RELOAD THEM.

THIS ONE HAS A CYLINDER THAT

CONTAINS FIVE CHARGES, SO YOU

CAN GET OUT FIVE SHOTS WITHOUT

RELOADING.

A VERY EFFECTIVE WEAPON FOR THE

TIMES.

>> narrator: THE NEXT TREASURE

IS AS FAMOUS FOR ITS OWNER AS

ITS INNOVATION.

THIS 45-CALIBER SIX-SHOT

REVOLVER ONCE BELONGED TO

CONFEDERATE LEADER JEB STUART.

>> THIS IS A DOUBLE-ACTION

REVOLVER.

THAT MEANS BY PULLING THE

TRIGGER, YOU COCK THE PIECE,

ROTATE THE CYLINDER, AND FIRE

THE REVOLVER ALL WITH ONE PULL.

AND THIS WAS FAVORED BY THE

CAVALRY MEN WHO HAD TO RIDE WITH

THEIR LEFT HAND AND SHOOT WITH

THEIR RIGHT HAND.

>> narrator: THE THIRD TREASURE

IS A REMARKABLE RIFLE.

BUT IT'S REMEMBERED MORE AS A

PRESENT TO A PRESIDENT.

>> THIS IS A HENRY RIFLE THAT

WAS PRESENTED TO ABRAHAM LINCOLN

IN 1862, FROM THE NEW HAVEN

FIREARMS MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

THE COMPANY PRESENTED IT TO

LINCOLN IN HOPES THAT IT WOULD

INFLUENCE THE WAR DEPARTMENT

INTO PURCHASING THE HENRY

FOR THE MILITARY.

IT'S GOLD PLATED AND ORNATELY

ENGRAVED, AND IT HAS A CARTOUCHE

HERE THAT SAYS,

"LINCOLN, PRESIDENT U.S.A."

>> narrator: BUT THE GIFT DIDN'T

CONVINCE LINCOLN TO BUY ANY FOR

HIS ARMY. HIS MILITARY LEADERS

FELT "THE HENRY" WAS TOO

DELICATE FOR HARSH BATTLEFIELD

CONDITIONS.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN, HIMSELF, COULD

BE CALLED A NATIONAL TREASURE.

THE MAN WHO FREED THE SLAVES AND

SAVED THE UNION GETS HIS OWN

TRIBUTE IN THE TREASURES

EXHIBITION WITH A SIMPLE ITEM

THAT EVOKES BOTH HIS STATURE AND

HIS TRAGIC END.

IT'S UNASSUMING AND WORN BY

TIME, BUT INSTANTLY

RECOGNIZABLE.

THIS WAS NOT THE ONLY TOP HAT

LINCOLN OWNED.

BUT IT'S THE LAST ONE HE EVER

WORE.

TEN P.M., APRIL 14TH, 1865.

DURING A PERFORMANCE AT FORD'S

THEATER, JOHN WILKES BOOTH STEPS

INTO THE PRESIDENTIAL BOX, AIMS

HIS PISTOL, AND SHOOTS LINCOLN

IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD.

NINE HOURS LATER, THE PRESIDENT

IS DEAD.

FROM THAT TRAGIC NIGHT, MANY

OBJECTS HAVE SURVIVED.

>> Liebhold: IT WAS A CRIME

SCENE AND MANY THINGS WERE

GATHERED UP BY THE WAR

DEPARTMENT FOR A POTENTIAL

INVESTIGATION.

>> narrator: THE TOP HAT WAS

AMONG THE ARTIFACTS TRANSFERRED

TO THE SMITHSONIAN NEARLY TWO

YEARS AFTER LINCOLN'S DEATH.

BUT THE INSTITUTION SECRETARY

CONSIDERED IT TOO GHOULISH FOR

PUBLIC VIEW, AND THE HAT WAS

BANISHED TO THE BASEMENT.

>> NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO TALK

ABOUT IT.

NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO SEE IT.

IT REALLY DIDN'T EXIST.

>> Liebhold: LINCOLN'S HAT WAS

FIRST DISPLAYED ABOUT 30 YEARS

AFTER THE FACT.

AND BY THAT TIME, THE EVENT HAD

CEASED TO BE AS MORBID AS THEY

WERE, AND THEY HAD BECOME MUCH

MORE HISTORICAL.

>> Kendrick: THE HAT IS THIS

DIFFERENT WAY OF SEEING LINCOLN,

BECAUSE ON THE ONE HAND, IT IS

AN ICON OF HIS PUBLIC IMAGE.

BUT YET, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY LOOK

AT THIS HAT, AND IT'S MAYBE

SMALLER THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT,

AND IT'S OLD, AND IT'S FADED.

BUT IT ALSO HAS AN INDIVIDUAL

CHARACTER. IT REALLY HUMANIZES

LINCOLN. HE WAS A REAL MAN. HE

WAS A REAL PERSON, AND THAT

CONNECTION IS WHAT OBJECTS CAN

GIVE US, AND THAT'S WHAT THE

LINCOLN HAT DOES.

>> narrator: LINCOLN'S HAT,

JEFFERSON'S DESK, AND A GUN THAT

CHANGED THE WEST.

SMALL ARTIFACTS THAT CRYSTALLIZE

MOMENTS IN CHALLENGING TIMES.

LESS THAN A CENTURY AFTER

LINCOLN, AMERICA WAS IN A LIFE

AND DEATH GLOBAL STRUGGLE,

WORLD WAR II.

ON D-DAY, JUNE 6TH, 1944,

AMERICAN TROOPS TOOK PART IN THE

LARGEST SEABORNE INVASION IN

HISTORY.

THE MUSEUM'S CURATORS LOOKED FOR

A WAY TO CAPTURE THIS PIVOTAL

MOMENT AND FOUND IT IN THE WORK

OF ONE MAN.

>> Delaney: ROBERT CAPA WAS

A MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHER,

CONTRACTING WITH LIFE MAGAZINE,

AT THE TIME OF WORLD WAR II.

AND HE WAS ONE OF TWO MAGAZINE

PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO WERE ABLE TO

GO IN ON THE D-DAY INVASION.

CAPA WENT IN ON THE USS CHASE

WITH ABOUT 2,000 GI SOLDIERS,

AMERICANS, AND DID THE SAME

THING THAT THEY DID.

THE ROBERT CAPA PHOTOGRAPH OF

D-DAY SHOWS THE GIS LAUNCHING

OFF THE BARGES AND JUMPING INTO

THE WATER, WHICH HE HAD TO DO

HIMSELF. SO YOU SEE THEIR BACKS,

AND YOU SEE THEM BLURRED

BECAUSE HE'S IN ACTION JUST

LIKE THEY ARE. AND GERMANS HAD

PUT OBSTACLES IN THEIR WAY.

SO THEY'RE JUMPING, THEY'RE

MOVING, THEY'RE SWIMMING.

AND HE WAS SCARED.

>> narrator: CAPA CONQUERED HIS

FEAR LONG ENOUGH TO SHOOT

SEVERAL ROLLS. HIS FILM

SURVIVED THE BLOODY BATTLE.

BUT LATER, A TERRIBLE MISTAKE

NEARLY DESTROYED IT ALL.

>> Delaney: HE GOT ABOUT THREE

ROLLS OF FILM, 72 IMAGES OR SO,

AND THE FILM WAS RUSHED BACK TO

THE LONDON OFFICES OF LIFE

MAGAZINE. EVERYONE WAS SO

EXCITED TO GET THAT FILM BACK

THAT THE TECHNICIAN RUSHED

THROUGH THE JOB.

AND WHEN THE NEGATIVES, THE

FILMS WERE DRYING, HE TURNED UP

THE HEAT TO HAVE IT DONE

QUICKER, AND THE EMULSION

MELTED, AND THEY LOST ALMOST ALL

OF CAPA'S PHOTOGRAPHS.

ONLY ELEVEN SURVIVED, OF WHICH

OUR MUSEUM HAS NINE.

>> narrator: TWO WEEKS AFTER

THE INVASION, ROBERT CAPA'S

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED IMAGES

APPEARED IN LIFE MAGAZINE.

THEY ARE NOW AMONG THE MOST

FAMOUS PHOTOS OF WORLD WAR II.

>> Kendrick: CAPA'S ADAGE THAT

IF YOUR PICTURES AREN'T GOOD

ENOUGH, YOU'RE NOT CLOSE

ENOUGH, IS CERTAINLY BORN OUT

IN THIS IMAGE. HE WAS THERE. HE

WAS IN THE THICK OF IT. AND

THOSE IMAGES HE BROUGHT BACK

ARE ARRESTING AND COMPELLING,

AND THEY REALLY DO JUST CONNECT

YOU TO THIS MOMENT THAT'S

ENGRAINED IN OUR POPULAR MEMORY.

>> narrator: LESS THAN TWO

DECADES LATER, AMERICANS FACED

ANOTHER NATIONAL CHALLENGE,

ANOTHER FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,

BUT THIS TIME, ON HOME SOIL.

[BACKGROUND CROWD NOISE]

>> male voice-over: EXPLOSIVE

DEMONSTRATIONS ROCK THE NORTH AS

WELL AS THE SOUTH, AS NEGROES

STRUGGLED FOR EQUAL

OPPORTUNITIES.

>> narrator: THE OBJECTS IN THIS

SCENE COULD BE FROM ANY TOWN'S

CORNER DRUGSTORE.

BUT THEY SYMBOLIZE THE BATTLE

FOR EQUAL RIGHTS IN THE

SEGREGATED SOUTH.

ON FEBRUARY 1ST, 1960,

IN GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA,

FOUR BLACK UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

DID THE UNTHINKABLE.

THEY SAT DOWN AT A "WHITES ONLY"

WOOLWORTH'S LUNCH COUNTER.

>> THEY WERE DENIED SERVICE

AND WERE ASKED TO LEAVE.

THEY CONTINUED TO SIT IN AT THIS

LUNCH COUNTER AT WOOLWORTH'S

FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.

>> narrator: IT WAS A COURAGEOUS

ACT IN DIRECT DEFIANCE OF

SEGREGATION, AND LED TO OTHER

SIT-INS ACROSS THE SOUTH.

THIS IS THE ACTUAL COUNTER WHERE

THOSE FOUR STUDENTS FIRST TOOK

A STAND. AFTER THAT FIRST DAY,

MANY MORE JOINED THEM, RISKING

ARREST, INJURY AND RETALIATION.

SIX MONTHS LATER, ON JULY 25TH,

WOOLWORTH'S GAVE IN AND SERVED

ITS FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN

CUSTOMER.

AFTER A WEEK, THEY HAD SERVED

HUNDREDS MORE.

THE GREENSBORO STUDENT SIT-INS

INSPIRED NON-VIOLENT PROTESTS IN

OTHER STATES, EVENTUALLY LEADING

TO THE DESEGREGATION OF

RESTAURANTS, THEATERS AND

CONCERT HALLS THROUGHOUT

THE SOUTH.

>> THE LUNCH COUNTER IS A VERY

POWERFUL SYMBOL OF THE CIVIL

RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

MANY PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE

MUSEUM INSTANTLY UNDERSTAND

THE SIGNIFICANCE.

>> narrator: THE LUNCH COUNTER

HONORS A MOMENT IN HISTORY AND

A TRIUMPH FOR EQUAL RIGHTS.

ANOTHER TREASURE, THIS

WHEELCHAIR, HONORS A MAN WHO

FOUGHT ANOTHER FORM OF

DISCRIMINATION.

IT'S CUSTOM BUILT TO BE OPERATED

WITH ONLY ONE FINGER, AND ITS

DRIVER, ED ROBERTS, BECAME

A LEADER IN THE STRUGGLE FOR

DISABILITY RIGHTS.

>> Kendrick: HE HELPED IGNITE

A MOVEMENT. HE NOT ONLY CHANGED

HOW SOCIETY VIEWED PEOPLE WITH

DISABILITIES, BUT HE ALSO HELPED

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CHANGE

THE WAY THEY VIEWED THEMSELVES.

>> narrator: WHEN HE WAS 14

YEARS OLD, ED CONTRACTED THE

POLIO VIRUS THAT PLAGUED THE

NATION.

THOUGH UNABLE TO MOVE, HE STILL

DREAMED OF GOING TO COLLEGE--

ALTHOUGH MOST UNIVERSITIES DID

NOT ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE WITH

SEVERE DISABILITIES.

BUT ROBERTS DECIDED TO FIGHT FOR

ACCEPTANCE, AND IN 1962, HE WON

THE RIGHT TO ATTEND THE

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT

BERKELEY.

>> THE FIRST THING THAT ED

REALLY CUT HIS ACTIVIST TEETH ON

WAS, IN A SENSE, INTEGRATING

BERKELEY FOR PEOPLE WITH

DISABILITIES.

HE AND A COUPLE OTHER GUYS

CALLED THEMSELVES

"THE ROLLING QUADS."

>> narrator: ROBERTS WENT ON TO

EARN TWO MASTERS DEGREES, AND

DECIDED TO SPEND HIS LIFE

HELPING OTHERS WITH

DISABILITIES. HE STARTED

A GLOBAL MOVEMENT TO TEACH

INDEPENDENT LIVING TO PEOPLE

WITH DISABILITIES--

AND TO ADVOCATE FOR THE CIVIL

RIGHTS OF DISABLED PEOPLE.

>> Katherine: HE WAS

INSTRUMENTAL IN EXPLAINING THE

IMPORTANCE OF ACCESS AND RAMPS,

AND THINKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHOSE

BODIES ARE DIFFERENT.

BUT HE ALSO WAS A GREAT LEADER

FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

TO SHOW THAT YOU CAN STILL

ACHIEVE ALL THAT MEETS YOUR

OWN POTENTIAL WHEREVER YOU ARE,

WHOEVER YOU ARE.

>> Kendrick: IN STRUGGLING TO

ASSERT HIS RIGHTS AND HIS

ABILITIES, ED ROBERTS REALLY

BECAME A ROLE MODEL TO

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH

DISABILITIES AROUND THE WORLD.

>> narrator: ED ROBERTS IS JUST

ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW A SINGLE

INDIVIDUAL CAN PROVOKE POWERFUL

CHANGE.

THE TREASURES EXHIBITION CREATED

A WHOLE CATEGORY TO EXPLORE THE

PERSONALITIES THAT HELPED SHAPE

AMERICAN HISTORY.

>> Kendrick: AMERICAN BIOGRAPHY

REALLY GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY

TO SHOW OFF SOME OF THE FAMOUS

OBJECTS IN OUR COLLECTION THAT

TELL THE STORIES OF CELEBRATED

INDIVIDUALS, THAT GIVE NEW

GLIMPSES INTO THEIR

PERSONALITIES, AND ALSO

SYMBOLIZE THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND

WHAT THEY ACCOMPLISHED.

>> narrator: BUT IN ALL OF

AMERICAN HISTORY, WHOSE STORY

SHOULD BE TOLD FIRST?

>> female voice: WHO, FOR YOU,

IS THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE PERSON

IN AMERICAN HISTORY?

>> IF I HAD TO PICK ONE, I'D SAY

LINCOLN.

>> JOHN F. KENNEDY.

>> BEN FRANKLIN.

>> MARTIN LUTHER KING, JUNIOR.

>> ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

>> I WOULD SAY

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

>> I'LL PROBABLY SAY

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

>> GEORGE WASHINGTON.

>> Glass: GEORGE WASHINGTON

IS PROBABLY STILL THE MOST

FAMOUS AMERICAN.

WHENEVER THERE ARE SURVEYS TAKEN

ABOUT RECOGNIZABLE FIGURES IN

AMERICAN HISTORY,

GEORGE WASHINGTON ALWAYS COMES

OUT NUMBER ONE.

>> narrator: WITH HIS FACE ON

THE DOLLAR BILL, WASHINGTON IS

PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE.

EVEN IN HIS OWN TIME, HE WAS A

CELEBRITY, THE FIRST MILITARY

COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF,

FIRST PRESIDENT OF A NEWLY

MINTED COUNTRY.

GEORGE WASHINGTON IS SO

ENGRAINED IN THE PUBLIC MIND

THAT EVEN HIS CLOTHES SEEM

FAMILIAR.

WASHINGTON KNEW THAT CLOTHES

MADE THE MAN, AND CHOSE HIS

CAREFULLY.

THE GENERAL OFFICER'S UNIFORM

REFLECTS THE STYLE HE WORE TO

OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS WHEN HE

WANTED TO EMPHASIZE HIS ROLE

AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.

BUT WASHINGTON DIDN'T HAVE TO

RELY ON CLOTHING ALONE TO

COMMAND ATTENTION.

>> Kendrick: HE WAS OVER SIX

FEET TALL, AND IT WAS SOMETHING

THAT WAS COMMENTED ON BY HIS

CONTEMPORARIES THAT YOU JUST SAW

THIS MAN AND YOU SENSED HE WAS A

LEADER. HE CARRIED HIMSELF VERY

REGALLY, VERY IMPRESSIVELY.

>> narrator: GEORGE WASHINGTON

WAS THE FIRST OF MANY FAMOUS

PRESIDENTS. BUT WHEN IT COMES

TO FIRST LADIES, ONE STANDS OUT

AS AN ICON.

IN THE 1960 PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION, THE COUNTRY VOTED FOR

JACK, BUT FELL IN LOVE WITH

JACKIE.

>> male voice-over: ON ROUTE TO

THEIR NEW ADDRESS, 1600

PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, JOHN AND

JACQUELINE KENNEDY ARE CHEERED

BY NEARLY A MILLION.

>> narrator: EVERYONE WANTED TO

KNOW WHAT THE FASHIONABLE YOUNG

FIRST LADY WOULD WEAR TO THE

INAUGURAL BALL.

JACKIE KENNEDY

DIDN'T DISAPPOINT.

>> Kendrick: IT WAS A VERY SLIM

DRESS. IT'S A SHEATH RATHER

THAN A BIG BOUFFANTY SKIRT,

IT'S MADE OF SILK, A VERY SHEAR

SILK CALLED PEAU D'ANGE.

THE BODICE OF THE DRESS IS

EMBROIDERED WITH SILVER AND

BRILLIANCE OR CRYSTALS.

AND THEN THAT IS COVERED BY AN

OVER A BLOUSE OF CHIFFON.

SO IT REALLY GAVE PEOPLE JUST A

HINT AS SHE WAS PASSING BY THAT

THERE WAS SOMETHING SHIMMERING

UNDERNEATH. AND THE GOWN WAS

WORN WITH A MATCHING CAPE, ALSO

MADE OF SILK.

>> narrator: THE GOWN WAS

AN INSTANT SUCCESS AND AMERICAN

WOMEN HAD A NEW ICON.

>> Kendrick: THE THING ABOUT

JACKIE KENNEDY IS, IT WAS WHAT

SHE WORE, BUT IT WAS ALSO HOW

SHE WORE IT, THE POISE, THE

ELEGANCE, AND THE GLAMOUR THAT

SHE JUST RADIATED.

AND A LOT OF HER CLOTHES ARE

FAIRLY SIMPLE AND UNDERSTATED.

SO IT WAS MUCH MORE THAN THE

DESIGN ITSELF, BUT THE OVERALL

"JACKIE LOOK" THAT WOMEN,

ESPECIALLY, REALLY GRAVITATED

TOWARDS AND WANTED TO EMULATE.

FIRST LADIES OCCUPIED THIS

UNIQUE PLACE IN AMERICAN

SOCIETY. THEY'RE PUBLIC

FIGURES, BUT THEY'RE ALSO

EXPECTED TO BE PRIVATE IN THE

SENSE THAT THEY'RE WIVES AND

MOTHERS. JACKIE KENNEDY REALLY

DID REDEFINE THAT, AND IT'S

DEFINITELY MADE HER MUCH MORE

THAN A FIRST LADY. SHE IS AN

ICON, AND REMAINS TO THIS DAY.

>> narrator: NOT ALL OF THE

INFLUENTIAL FIGURES THAT HAVE

TOUCHED AMERICAN LIVES ARE

ACTUAL PEOPLE.

IN FACT, ONE FAMOUS FIGURE THAT

HAS INFLUENCED THE AMERICAN

IDENTITY ISN'T HUMAN AT ALL.

IT'S A TOY.

>> MY FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TOY

WAS THE TELEVISION.

>> THE SLINKY.

>> LITE-BRITE.

>> I HAD A ROCKET SHIP.

>> MY MARBLES.

>> PROBABLY LEGOS.

>> ELMO.

>> GI JOE'S.

>> I'D PROBABLY JUST SAY MY

BARBIES.

>> I LOVED BARBIE.

>> BARBIE.

* BARBIE YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL--

* YOU MAKE ME FEEL--

* MY BARBIE DOLL IS REALLY

REAL--*

>> narrator: BARBIE DEBUTED IN

1959 IN NEW YORK CITY.

SHE BECAME AN INSTANT BESTSELLER

FOR THE MATTEL TOY COMPANY.

BUT NOT EVERYONE WAS ENAMORED

WITH THE NEW DOLL.

>> Kendrick: BARBIE HAS GOTTEN

HER SHARE OF CRITICISM.

WHEN SHE FIRST CAME OUT, THERE

WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO FELT SHE

WAS A LITTLE SLEAZY, ALMOST.

>> narrator: BARBIE'S ANATOMY

HAD GENERATED CONTROVERSY OVER

THE YEARS. SOME CRITICS CLAIMED

THAT A REAL WOMEN WITH BARBIE'S

MEASUREMENTS WOULD STAND OVER

SEVEN FEET TALL, WHILE WEIGHING

UNDER 130 POUNDS.

BUT BARBIE STILL SELLS.

WORLDWIDE, TWO DOLLS ARE SOLD

EVERY SECOND.

AND ALMOST 50 YEARS LATER, SHE

HAS BECOME A 1.9 BILLION DOLLAR

A YEAR INDUSTRY FOR MATTEL.

>> * MY BARBIE DOLL IS REALLY

REAL-- *

* BARBIE DOLL IS REALLY REAL--

>> narrator: AMERICA'S

TREASURES NOT ONLY INCLUDES

BARBIE'S TOY STORY, BUT ALSO

THE REAL-LIFE ONE-TWO PUNCH OF

ONE OF THE GREATEST LEGENDS

IN SPORTS.

>> WHO'S THE GREATEST?

>> YOU ARE!

>> WHO'S THE PRETTIEST?

>> YOU ARE!

>> narrator: MUHAMMAD ALI WAS

A YOUNG BOXER THAT TRANSCENDED

HIS SPORT AND BECAME FAMOUS

THROUGHOUT THE WORLD FOR HIS

ACTIONS BOTH IN AND OUTSIDE THE

RING.

THESE WERE HIS TRADEMARK TOOLS.

THREE-TIME WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT

BOXING CHAMPION,

THE SPORTSMAN OF THE CENTURY,

AND A HUMANITARIAN CRUSADER,

MUHAMMAD ALI IS ONE OF THE MOST

PROMINENT AMERICANS LIVING

TODAY.

>> Kendrick: HE HAS ONE OF THE

MOST FAMOUS FACES IN THE WORLD.

AND WE'VE GOT HIS GLOVES.

THAT DEFINITELY SAYS A LOT.

>> narrator: ALI'S RISE TO

BOXING GLORY BEGAN IN 1964

WHEN, AS CASSIUS CLAY, HE WON

HIS FIRST HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE

AGAINST CHAMPION, SONNY LISTON.

SOON AFTER, HE CONVERTED TO

ISLAM AND TOOK THE NAME

MUHAMMAD ALI. HE OFTEN DREW

CRITICISM FOR HIS RELIGIOUS

BELIEFS AND SOCIAL STATEMENTS.

>> Kendrick: ONE OF THE

DEFINING MOMENTS FOR

MUHAMMAD ALI'S CAREER AND HIS

LIFE CAME ABOUT IN 1966 DURING

THE VIETNAM WAR WHEN WAS

NOTIFIED THAT HE WAS ELIGIBLE

FOR THE DRAFT. AND HE HAD

RECENTLY CONVERTED TO ISLAM, AND

HE DID NOT WANT TO GO TO FIGHT

IN THE VIETNAM WAR. AND HE MADE

A STATEMENT AS SUCH SAYING, "I

AIN'T GOT NOT QUARREL WITH THEM

VIETCONG." AND HE HELD HIS

CONVICTIONS THAT HE SHOULD NOT

BE FORCED TO GO OFF AND FIGHT

FOR A GOVERNMENT THAT OPPRESSED

HIS OWN PEOPLE AT HOME, LET

ALONE AGAINST A PEOPLE WITH

WHOM, AS HE SAID, HE HAD NO

QUARREL, NO PROBLEM.

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

MR. MUHAMMAD ALI HAS JUST

REFUSED TO BE INDUCTED INTO

THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.

>> narrator: ALI'S CONVICTIONS

WOULD COST HIM HIS HEAVYWEIGHT

CROWN.

>> Kendrick: THE BOXING

COMMISSION STRIPPED HIM OF HIS

TITLE, THEY BANNED HIM FROM

BOXING, AND HE WAS PROSECUTED

AS A DRAFT DODGER. SO THAT

MOMENT REALLY CRYSTALLIZED HIS

IMPORTANCE, NOT JUST AS

A SPORTS HERO, BUT AS A CULTURAL

ICON, AS AN INSPIRATION TO

OTHER FOLKS WHO FELT POWERLESS.

>> narrator: IN 1970, HE WAS

ALLOWED TO RETURN TO THE RING.

>> Kendrick: ULTIMATELY, THE

SUPREME COURT VALIDATED HIM AND

UPHELD HIS CLAIM THAT HE WAS,

IN FACT, A CONSCIENTIOUS

OBJECTOR. BUT HE HAD LOST

EVERYTHING IN THAT TIME.

>> narrator: IN 1974, ALI

REGAINED HIS HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE

BY BEATING GEORGE FOREMAN IN

ZAIRE IN THE FAMOUS FIGHT KNOWN

AS "THE RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE."

>> * I'M THE ONE, THE ACE,

THE ONLY *

* I'M THE KING

>> narrator: THEN IN 1975, ALI

DEFENDED HIS TITLE AGAINST

JOE FRAZIER IN

"THE THRILLA IN MANILLA."

>> Kendrick: IN "THE THRILLA IN

MANILLA" FIGHT WE DO KNOW THAT

HE WORE RED GLOVES. WHETHER

THESE ARE THE GLOVES, I THINK

ALI WOULD HAVE LIKED US TO

THINK THAT THEY WERE. BUT WE

DON'T SAY FOR SURE.

>> narrator: THE GLOVES NOT

ONLY REPRESENT ALI'S SKILL

INSIDE THE RING, BUT ALSO HIS

DETERMINATION TO STAND UP FOR

HIS BELIEFS OUTSIDE IT.

>> * OH YEAH!

>> narrator: ANOTHER GREAT

AMERICAN ALSO FOLLOWED HIS

CONSCIENCE. THE SYMBOL OF HIS

FIGHT, THIS SIMPLE HOE.

IT CAUSED THOUSANDS OF WORKERS

TO SUFFER AND ITS OWNER FOUGHT

TO BAN ITS USE.

>> Liebhold: THIS IS

A SHORT-HANDLE HOE. IT'S REALLY

INTERESTING BECAUSE IT'S MORE

THAN JUST AN AGRICULTURAL

IMPLEMENT. IT'S A SYMBOL OF

OPPRESSION AND THE SYMBOL

ULTIMATELY OF ACHIEVEMENT.

>> narrator: THE HOE WAS USED BY

THE FAMILY OF ACTIVIST,

CESAR CHAVEZ.

>> IF THEY'RE NOT WORKING, THEY

SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT AS ANY

OTHER WORKING AMERICAN--

>> narrator: HE WAS THE

FIRSTHAND WITNESS TO THE

TERRIBLE PLIGHT OF MIGRANT FARM

WORKERS AND LABORED TO IMPROVE

THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES. HIS FAMILY

AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER MIGRANT

WORKERS TOILED FOR UNBEARABLY

LONG DAYS, WERE PAID LOW WAGES,

AND WORKED UNDER PAINFULLY HARSH

CONDITIONS.

>> Liebhold: CESAR CHAVEZ

IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT PERSON IN

TERMS OF AMERICAN HISTORY.

HE HISTORICALLY TRANSCENDS HIS

EXPERIENCE AS AN ORGANIZER OF

THE UNITED FARM WORKERS AND

MOVES ONTO BEING ONE OF THE

NATION'S MOST IMPORTANT CIVIL

RIGHTS LEADERS, AND AN ICON OF

THE LATINO COMMUNITY.

>> Kendrick: BECAUSE OF HIS

AMAZING LEADERSHIP QUALITIES,

HIS ABILITY TO LEAD AND ALSO

ORGANIZE, HE'S BECOME AN ALMOST

MYTHIC FIGURE.

>> narrator: WHEN CESAR WAS

YOUNG, HIS FAMILY LOST THEIR

FARM AND THEY WERE FORCED TO

JOIN THE RANKS OF MIGRANT

WORKERS.

HE NEVER FORGOT THE

SHORT-HANDLED HOE AND ITS

BACKBREAKING LESSON.

>> Kendrick: SO THE FACT THAT

THE FAMILY SAVED THIS HOE SAYS

THAT IT REALLY HAD A LOT OF

MEANINGS TO THEM AS FAR AS

A REMINDER OF THEIR OWN HISTORY

AND ALSO THE STRUGGLE THAT THE

FARM WORKERS WERE WAGING

AGAINST THE WORKING CONDITIONS.

>> Liebhold: ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK THE HOE IS REALLY

SIGNIFICANT TO THE FAMILY,

SIGNIFICANT TO MANY AGRICULTURAL

WORKERS.

THE SHORT-HANDLED HOE, YOU HAVE

TO STOOP OVER. YOU HAVE TO BEND

RIGHT DOWN, ALMOST BE ON THE

GROUND. GROWERS CLAIMED THAT IT

MADE THEM MORE ACCURATE. BUT

MOST PEOPLE THINK IT WAS REALLY

JUST A SYMBOL OF OPPRESSION

THAT IT SHOWED WHO WAS IN

CONTROL. IT WAS FINALLY MADE

ILLEGAL.

>> narrator: CHAVEZ ORGANIZED

THE FARM WORKERS INTO A UNION

IN 1962. HE EVENTUALLY HELPED

TO MAKE THE SHORT-HANDLE HOE

ILLEGAL.

UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, THE

UNITED FARM WORKERS BECAME

A POLITICAL FORCE, INSPIRING

FURTHER LATINO ACTIVISM.

THE TREASURES EXHIBITION ALSO

HOUSES THE JACKET THAT CHAVEZ

ONCE WORE AT RALLIES, STRIKES

AND WORK SITES.

THE LIFE OF CESAR CHAVEZ SHOWS

HOW A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL CAN

FOSTER CHANGE THAT AFFECTS

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE,

TRANSFORMING A NATION,

AND IN TURBULENT TIMES,

HE DID IT WITHOUT VIOLENCE.

AMERICA'S TREASURES RANGE

FROM THE DELICATE GLASS OF

EDISON'S GENIUS--TO A FAVORITE

TOY, FROM LINCOLN'S SIMPLE

TOPPER, TO DOROTHY'S TECHNICOLOR

FOOTWEAR, EACH A TESTAMENT TO

AMERICA'S DIVERSE STORY.

BUT ONE PIECE OF HISTORY REMAINS

MISSING, THE STORY OF AMERICAN

MUSIC.

AS PART OF THAT STORY, THE

EXHIBITION DISPLAYS AN OBJECT

THAT'S NOT AN INSTRUMENT, BUT

THE PERFECT SYMBOL FOR A MUSICAL

VOICE UNIQUE TO AMERICA.

HE WAS BLIND BY THE AGE OF

SEVEN.

YET, RAY CHARLES' MUSICAL GENIUS

WAS UNDENIABLE.

AND BY HIS DEATH, HE HAD BECOME

ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL

AMERICAN MUSICIANS OF OUR TIME.

>> Hasse: WHEN I SEE THOSE

SUNGLASSES, I THINK OF THE

OBSTACLES THAT RAY CHARLES

OVERCAME TO BECOME AN

INNOVATOR, A PERSON WHO HELPED

CREATE A WHOLE NEW STYLE OF

MUSIC.

>> * OH BEAUTIFUL

FAR SPACIOUS SKIES-- *

>> Hasse: RAY CHARLES WAS

HAILED AS A PIANIST, A

SONGWRITER, AND A BAND LEADER.

BUT SURELY HIS MOST ENDURING

CONTRIBUTION WAS AS A SINGER.

HE DREW SO MUCH ON HIS LIFE'S

EXPERIENCE THAT YOU COULD SAY

HIS VOICE WAS THE VOICE OF

EXPERIENCE, PERHAPS EVEN THE

VOICE OF AMERICA. IF NOT THE

VOICE OF AMERICA, SURELY ONE OF

ITS MOST SPECIAL, UNIQUE AND

WONDERFUL VOICES.

>> * I'M TALKING ABOUT AMERICA,

SWEET AMERICA *

* YOU KNOW, GOD DONE SHED--

>> Hasse: WE'RE VERY PLEASED

TO HAVE RAY'S RAY-BANS,

RAY CHARLES' SUNGLASSES WHICH

ARE AS AN ICONIC A SYMBOL OF HIM

AS ANYTHING WE COULD POSSIBLY

HAVE ON DISPLAY, SO MUCH SO THAT

UPON RAY CHARLES' DEATH, THE

EDITORIAL CARTOONIST,

MIKE PETERS, PENNED A SINGLE

FRAME EDITORIAL CARTOON SHOWING

A PAIR OF SUNGLASSES WITH A BIG

OLD TEAR COMING DOWN THE SIDE.

THERE WAS A NO CAPTION EXCEPT

"RAY CHARLES." IT DIDN'T NEED

A CAPTION. THESE SUNGLASSES

REALLY STAND FOR RAY CHARLES.

>> narrator: USING ONLY 150

OBJECTS FROM A COLLECTION OF

THREE MILLION, THE

SMITHSONIAN'S NATIONAL MUSEUM OF

AMERICAN HISTORY HAS CREATED A

NEW PERSPECTIVE ON AMERICA.

IT IS A STORY THAT UNFOLDS USING

THE GREATEST PIECES OF HISTORY

FROM A COLLECTION UNMATCHED IN

ITS SCOPE.

BUT THE MUSEUM'S TREASURE NOT

ONLY DESCRIBE THE EVENTS AND

PEOPLE OF THE PAST--

THEY OFFER A UNIQUE JOURNEY

THROUGH THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.