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How Smokey Bear Became an Icon and a Real Life Neighbor in Washington DC

Both the Smokey Bear character and the real life Smokey hail from Washington, D.C. (4m 9s)

In 1967, the Most Expensive Art Ever Purchased Arrived at the National Gallery of Art in a Suitcase

The story of a record art purchase which put the National Gallery on the map. (5m 36s)

Washington, D.C.’s First Election Riot

In 1857, an anti-immigrant political movement tried to stop an election with violence at the polls. (2m 46s)

The 1939 Alexandria Library Sit In Opened a New Front in the Civil Rights Movement

Libraries had not been a big part of the civil rights movement but that changed in Alexandria, VA. (4m 49s)

When the President Commuted to the Oval Office from Alexandria, VA

For 10 days in 1974, the President of the United States lived on a regular street in Alexandria, VA. (3m 6s)

Fired for Being Gay, Frank Kameny Ran for Congress

Frank Kameny made history by being the first openly gay man to run for Congress in 1971. (4m 34s)

Did the Hope Diamond Curse a Washington, D.C. Family?

The Hope Diamond is rumored to carry centuries-old curse but is it real? (4m 43s)

The D.C. Nine: The Catholics Who Became Convicts to Stop the Vietnam War

The nuns and priests who targeted Dow Chemical to fight the Vietnam War. (6m 18s)

A “One Man Crime Wave” Came to a Stunning End in 1980... It's Impacts Remain

A tragic encounter in 1980 exposed one of the strangest true crime stories in D.C. history. (3m 34s)

Marion Barry and the Bus Boycott That Launched His Career in D.C.

Longtime Mayor Marion Barry kickstarted his career in D.C. politics by leading a bus boycott. (3m 6s)

A Black Arlington Neighborhood was Destroyed to Build the Pentagon

To build the Pentagon, the Black community of East Arlington was razed with 30 day’s notice. (3m 49s)

100 Years Ago, a D.C. Physician Launched the First Anthrax Attack on the U.S. from His Basement

Did modern biological warfare begin in a Chevy Chase, Washington, D.C. basement? (2m 42s)

“The Exorcist” was Based on an Actual Maryland Exorcism. Here’s what REALLY Happened

The not-so-true story of the 'real' demonic possession that inspired the 1973’s “The Exorcist.” (2m 46s)

Koreagate: Tongsun Park’s Cash Bribes and Congressional Corruption

In the 1960 and ‘70s, South Korean agent gave nearly $1 Million to Congress — and got away with it. (4m 42s)

A Sting Operation Used the “Mafia” to Fight Crime in D.C. Did it Work?

In 1976, a creative police-FBI sting operation captured headlines, praise, and controversy. (4m 15s)

Thomas Jefferson’s 1235-Pound Religious Freedom Cheese

In 1802, President Jefferson received a mammoth cheese with a message about religious freedom. (2m 25s)

How Mary Church Terrell Beat Jim Crow in D.C. Restaurants

How Mary Church Terrell challenged racial segregation in D.C. restaurants -- and won. (2m 36s)

He Sold Booze To the Powerful During Prohibition — and Then Exposed Them

Where was the best place to find a stiff drink during Prohibition? Capitol Hill. (2m 50s)

St. Elizabeths Hospital Tested a Piece of Mussolini’s Brain for Dementia. Then, They Lost It

The bizarre ballad of Benito’s brain — studied in a D.C. hospital and then lost to history (2m 52s)

Meet the D.C. Woman Who Lived In a Glass House Atop Anacostia's Big Chair

In the summer of 1960, a D.C. woman lived in a glass apartment atop the Big Chair in Anacostia. (2m 25s)

The Tractorcade of 1979 Drove DC Residents Crazy... And Then Saved Them From a Blizzard

In 1979, the American Agriculture Movement protest in Washington, D.C. turned into a rescue mission. (2m 43s)

When Women Marched and Men Rioted: The 1913 Women’s Suffrage March

In 1913, thousands of women paraded through DC, overcoming crowds of drunken men to demand the vote. (2m 36s)

In 1915, a German Spy Bombed the U.S. Capitol

On July 2, 1915 a bomb ripped through the U.S. Capitol but that was just the beginning of the saga. (2m 28s)

When Mobsters Kidnapped D.C.’s Godfather of Gambling

Jimmy “The Gentleman Gambler” Lafontaine made millions from his casino — until the mob wanted in. (2m 40s)

Washington, D.C.'s Official Song and Why You've Never Heard It

Why haven't most Washingtonians heard the District's official song? (2m 29s)

How a D.C. Civil Rights Activist Fought Racism with Rodents

In the 1960s, Julius Hobson used a new tactic to fight racial inequality: rat relocation rallies. (2m 8s)

The Disastrous Move to Make the National Mall a Fish Farm

Did you know that the National Mall used to be home to a giant government fish farm? (2m 38s)