<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>Judging from our blog readers' favorite posts this year, military history is a popular topic. But you also kept some space on your reading list for 1930s delicacies and long-lost amusement parks.</p><p><strong>1) <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/negro-motorists-green-book" title="1937-1964">An atlas of self-reliance: <em>The Negro Motorist's Green Book</em></a></strong><br>Read over 18,800 times, this post explored the dark side of the all-American road trip during the Jim Crow era. African American families on vacation had to be ready for any circumstance, should they be denied lodging or a meal in a restaurant. <em>The Negro Motorist's Green Book</em> helped "black motorists travel safely across a landscape partitioned by segregation and scarred by lynching," as guest blogger Jay Driskell put it.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1199660" target="_blank"><img alt="Photograph of brown top hat" class="auto-caption media-image img__fid__16925 img__view_mode__media_large attr__format__media_large" rel="lightbox" src="https://americanhistory.si.edu/sites/default/files/styles/blog_image/public/NMAH-95-5528-000002.jpg?itok=Y9f49eza" style="width: 502px; height: 550px;" title="The top hat that Abraham Lincoln wore to Ford's Theater on the night he was assassinated"></a></p><p><strong>2) <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/closer-look-president-lincolns-silk-hat">A closer look at President Lincoln's silk hat</a></strong><br>Not just any hat, we're talking about the silk top hat Lincoln wore to Ford's Theater on the night he was assassinated. After the assassination, it spent 26 years in storage. Rich with details, this touching blog post by curator Harry Rubenstein has been read over 16,900 times.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/tasting-1930s-experiment-congealed-salads-and-other-one-dish-wonders" target="_blank"><img alt="Photo of table with white lace table cloth and many entree dishes on plates" class="auto-caption media-image img__fid__16926 img__view_mode__media_large attr__format__media_large" rel="lightbox" src="https://americanhistory.si.edu/sites/default/files/styles/blog_image/public/1930s_Potluck.jpg?itok=XQ96olsu" style="width: 550px; height: 415px;" title="The full spread for the staff's 1930s potluck, including Spaghetti Loaf, Marshmallow Mint Salad, and Parker House Rolls"></a></p><p><strong>3) <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/tasting-1930s-experiment-congealed-salads-and-other-one-dish-wonders">Tasting the 1930s: An experiment with congealed salads and other one-dish wonders</a></strong><br>Yes, it's a delight to work in a museum … right up until your boss asks you how you like the tomato aspic with vegetables she made after finding the recipe in a 1930s cookbook.</p><p><strong>4) <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/delicate-war-laces-world-war-i">The delicate "war laces" of World War I</a></strong><br>Thanks to a German blockade, seven million Belgians were cut off from important food and supplies during World War I. Lacemakers to the rescue!</p><p><strong>5) <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/WWI-letter">A mother's solace: A letter from a World War I enemy</a></strong> <br>The leader of a German balloon squadron writes to the mother of an American soldier he killed, sending Sallie Maxwell Bennett on an overseas quest to locate her son's remains and memorialize him.</p><p><strong>6) <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/what-does-laguardia-airport-have-common-piano-manufacturer-william-steinways-long-lost">What does LaGuardia Airport have in common with piano manufacturer William Steinway's long lost amusement park?</a></strong><br>Bowery Bay Beach was also known as "The Coney Island of Queens" and it sounds like a fun family getaway.</p><p><strong>7) <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/battlefield-cross">The battlefield cross</a></strong><br>The first appearance of the "battlefield cross" is a matter of conjecture.</p><p><strong>8) <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/appomattox-150">The surrender at Appomattox Court House: 150th anniversary</a></strong><br>Though just under 200 words, the terms of surrender for the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia includes some interesting details. For example, Confederates who owned their own horses were allowed to keep them to plant spring crops.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/lusitania-propaganda" target="_blank"><img alt="Medal" class="auto-caption media-image img__fid__16935 img__view_mode__media_large attr__format__media_large" rel="lightbox" src="https://americanhistory.si.edu/sites/default/files/styles/blog_image/public/Lusitania%20Medal%20-%20Reverse.jpg?itok=Ycjl_q7z" style="width: 550px; height: 413px;" title="Medal designed by German artist Karl Goetz commemorating the sinking of the "Lusitania." The medal incorrectly names May 5, 1915, as the date of the sinking, two days before the actual sinking. Although this was merely a mistake by the artist, it sparked allegations that Germany had in fact planned the attack."></a></p><p><strong>9) <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/lusitania-propaganda">Remember the Lusitania: 3 pieces of World War I propaganda</a></strong><br>In 2015, we commemorated the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the British ship <em>Lusitania</em> by a German U-boat, an event that preceded America's entrance into the war.</p><p><strong>10) <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/alexander-graham-bell-facts">5 fascinating facts about Alexander Graham Bell that aren't about the telephone</a></strong><br>Did you know that Bell's actual voice was recorded 130 years ago, and you can still listen to it today?</p><p>As the manager of the blog, I'm lucky enough to have time to read all of our posts, so I thought I'd recommend a few of my personal favorites from 2015 that you may have missed.</p><p>Curator Alexandra Lord's blog post on early days of <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/anti-vaccination-america" target="_blank">anti-vaccination</a> sentiment in America blew me away. I had no idea that this issue had such deep roots and was fascinated by the story of posterchild "Little Belema."</p><p>You know how everything stops when a dog or baby visits your office? We enjoyed a visit from not just any pup but an actual war hero. Thanks for stopping by, <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/soldiers-fur-coats-revisited" target="_blank">Fausto</a>! </p><p>When I decided I wanted to work in a museum (a revelation that took place at the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain), I imagined amazing behind-the-scenes experiences. Watching experts work closely with incredible objects was exactly what I had in mind. Our blog post on <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/decoding-shermans-flag-and-conserving-historic-treasure" target="_blank">the conservation of General William T. Sherman's flag</a> is as close as a non-museum-employee may get. </p><p>This year has seen increased discussion on how we deal with mental health issues in America. For some fascinating historical context, I recommend <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/patrick-and-sarah-henry-mental-illness-18th-century-america" target="_blank">this post</a> on how Patrick Henry (of "Give me liberty, or give me death!" fame) dealt with his wife's mental health challenges. </p><p>I learned to flirt using instant messenger while young people today text their feelings to each other, illustrated with copious emojis. Curator Harold Wallace's blog post reminded me that technology has always shaped how we send messages of <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/love-lines-0" target="_blank">love and affection</a>. If I could send you all a CandyGram to thank you for reading our blog, I would. </p><p><em>Erin Blasco is an education specialist in the New Media Department.</em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-related-user field-type-user-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Related Staff Member: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/users/blascoe">BlascoE</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-posted-date field-type-datetime field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Posted Date: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Friday, December 18, 2015 - 11:45</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Categories: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/blog-tags/musings">Musings</a></li></ul></div><div id="disqus_thread"><noscript><p><a href="http://amhistorymuseum.disqus.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Famericanhistory.si.edu%2Fblog%2F10-most-read-blog-posts-2015">View the discussion thread.</a></p></noscript></div><div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?a=MKont2yXumg:84ZqbBisP-Y:qj6IDK7rITs"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?a=MKont2yXumg:84ZqbBisP-Y:7Q72WNTAKBA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?d=7Q72WNTAKBA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?a=MKont2yXumg:84ZqbBisP-Y:V_sGLiPBpWU"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?i=MKont2yXumg:84ZqbBisP-Y:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?a=MKont2yXumg:84ZqbBisP-Y:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?i=MKont2yXumg:84ZqbBisP-Y:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?a=MKont2yXumg:84ZqbBisP-Y:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OSayCanYouSee?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/OSayCanYouSee/~4/MKont2yXumg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>
