The Torch, A Monthly Newspaper for the Smithsonian Institution, 1992

Have you ever heard about that time a live chicken escaped from an exhibit and crashed President Nixon’s inaugural ball? Or what about the incident when Ambika, an elephant at the National Zoo, almost carried Fred Rogers into her bath? Beginning in 1955, Smithsonian’s staff newsletter, The Torch, informed employees about major happenings around the Institution. Not only are its pages filled with quirky stories, but they also reveal a lot about the people behind the Smithsonian—from museum directors to cafeteria employees. Today, we can learn a lot from past Smithsonian colleagues, including those from the early '90s, a time of great social change when LGBTQ+ staff and Black employees began organizing for visibility.

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