Historians Monica Smith and Will Eastman outline the invention and development of the electric guitar in the 20th century.

Emmy-Award–winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns joins Allen Weinstein, Archivist of the United States, to discuss his past work and his current project, The War, a seven-part series examining the ways in which World War II touched the lives of American families.

To listen to this video, scroll to "Ken Burns," and select "Watch the Video."

Former Congresswoman Lindy Boggs and her daughter, noted journalist Cokie Roberts, join archivist Allen Weinstein for a conversation about their mother/daughter relationship in an influential political family. Mrs. Boggs served nine terms in the House of Representatives—the first woman elected to the House from that state. She was the first woman to chair a national political convention and the first woman to serve as Ambassador to the Vatican. Mrs. Boggs is the author of Washington Through a Purple Veil.

Cokie Roberts is a political commentator for ABC News covering Congress, politics, and public policy. She has won countless journalistic awards and has been inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame. Her books include We Are Our Mothers' Daughters and Founding Mothers.

To listen to this interview, scroll to "Lindy Boggs and Cokie Roberts," and select "Watch the Video."

Hillary Rodham Clinton discusses her life and experiences, including the development of her original interest in politics, her thoughts on history education, her perception of the role of First Lady, her campaign for Senator, challenges she sees facing the U.S. in the future, what she believes is required in a leader to address these problems, and some thoughts on the George W. Bush administration.

To listen to this interview, scroll to "Hillary Rodham Clinton" and select "Watch the Video."

A talk with Dr. Lonnie Bunch, founding director of the new National Museum of African American History, about the new African-American Museum. This Smithsonian Institution museum has been decades in the making and soon will be assigned a location in downtown Washington, DC. "It is a challenge to make sure that this is a museum that allows people to revel in African-American culture," Dr. Bunch has noted, "but it [will also be] a museum that says what it means to be an American. Everyone will want to come here because it will help us understand courage and resiliency and other traits."

To view this lecture, scroll to "Lonnie Bunch," and select "Watch the Video."

Lynne Cheney talks about the way Americans have come to perceive their past. She uses her recent book, A Time for Freedom: What Happened When in America, as a jumping-off point for discussing her longstanding interest in the education of young people in American history.

To listen to this lecture, scroll to "Lynne Cheney" and select "Watch the Video."

Editor John B. Judis discusses the foreign policy of George W. Bush and his War on Terrorism in relation to previous foreign policy trends in the U.S., from the early U.S. of the Founding Fathers onwards.

Professor Salvatore Nick reviews the life of C.L. Franklin (1915-1984), African-American Baptist preacher and civil rights activist. Nick looks particularly at the greater social context within which Franklin spoke and worked—that is, the daily experiences of the African American communities to which he spoke and which he spoke for.

Professor Allan Winkler follows the passage of the 1960s, looking at the social change and unrest in the period and the political and global environment that formed a background to this domestic change. His presentation includes slides and multimedia clips.

To find the lecture, scroll down to the heading "American History Institute," and select a connection type under "Allan Winkler."

Michael Ray narrates a basic overview of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). The presentation looks particularly at the union's founders and the government reaction to the growing strength of the IWW and includes clips of IWW propaganda.