Because of Her Story
Because of Her Story
To create a more equitable America, the Smithsonian is researching, disseminating, and amplifying the histories of American women through its American Women’s History Initiative in preparation for the future Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.
Michele Roberts
I SAY THIS TO young people, especially those of color: Don’t worry whether you’re the only one, worry whether you’re the best one.
There are things you cannot change. I can’t change that I’m an African American woman, and as it turns out, I like being an African American woman.
The players rely on me to stand up and be their voice. I intend to be the best executive director in the history of the players union. I better be because if I’m not, then some silly person will say, 'well, she was a girl.'
The pen Michele Roberts used to sign a labor agreement between NBA players and owners is at the Smithsonian. It will be used to tell her story and other women’s stories of not backing down at the negotiating table.
Credits
Photo: Keh, Andrew, “Smashing a Ceiling and A Lot of Egos, Michele Roberts, N.B.A. Union’s New Leader, Confronts Gender Barriers,” The New York Times, August 16, 2014. PHOTO GABRIELLA DECZUK
Content: Chafkin, Max, “Outside Shooter,” The Atlantic, May 2015; Chew–Bose, Durga, “The Lenny Interview: Michele Roberts,” ELLE, October 2, 2015; Spears, Marc J.,“The Undefeated Interview: Michele Roberts,” undefeated.com, May 23, 2016
News
Read about the Smithsonian's latest scholarship on women's history, get inspired with stories from our collections, and see other updates.
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CreditsJoan W. Nowicke, fomer botany curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
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CreditsAngela Tate, Curator of African American Women's History at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Photo by Angela Tate.
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Credits“Portrait of the Artist as the Virgin of Guadalupe” by Yolanda M. López from her Guadalupe series. Archives of American Art, Tomás Ybarra-Frausto research material on Chicano art, 1965-2004. Donated by Ybarra-Frausto in 1997 and 2004.
Discover Her Story
In these themes you will find stories and objects from women who have shaped America as we know it through their work, creativity, and resolve.
Events
Join us for online events that tell women's stories and honor their achievements in art, history, science, business, and culture.
Collections
The Smithsonian’s collections include iconic objects that tell the stories of American women, their struggles, and their accomplishments.
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"I Go To Prepare A Place For You" by Bisa Butler
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Julia de Burgos Stamp
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"October in Santa Fe" by Norma Bassett Hall
Women's History Store
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Help Amplify the Voices of American Women
Decades in the making, the Smithsonian is building an American Women’s History Museum in our nation’s capital.
