Much like the nation’s so-called founding in 1776, the definition of American culture has always been problematic, fraught with a deep-seated history tied to colonization, imperialism, and capitalism. Essentially, the idea that certain art forms and cultural ephemera are considered to represent a uniquely American identity while others are not tends to erase the diversity of intersectional experiences and perspectives that truly make up this country.
Every Fourth of July, these questions about our nation’s heritage resurface as communities across the country mark America’s independence from Great Britain with star-studded celebrations like parades, fireworks, and barbecues. For this year’s holiday, we’ve rounded up museum collections and artifacts that embody the quintessential American spirit, regardless of national allegiances and pride—and its many nuances and complexities.
Read on to learn about the core American artifacts we’re spotlighting this holiday season.
O’Betty’s tells the history of the hot dog
For those who will be spending Independence Day at a barbecue joint, you might be happy to know that there’s a dual restaurant-museum in Athens, Ohio, dedicated to all things sausage-related. Home to hundreds of quirky hot dog memorabilia, including apparel, books, toys, musical instruments and “a dangerous-looking hot dog cooker,” the O’Betty Hot Dog Museum is part of the restaurant’s dining area, where visitors can also enjoy frankfurters named after burlesque entertainers, including Gypsy Rose Lee, Cilla Marty and Mata Hari, according to its website.
Paul Strand’s iconic photo: White Picket Fence
Published in the June 1917 issue Photography Alongside an essay on photography, Paul Strand’s White Picket Fence (1916), a candid photograph of a white picket fence in Port Kent, New York, became an iconic image—not only because its composition departed from the pictorialist tradition that dominated photography at the time, but also because of its focus on a seemingly unremarkable structure that spoke volumes about the American suburban ideal and the dream of homeownership. Today, the photograph is housed at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, where it joins more than 180 of Strand’s photographs documenting communities across the country.
Declaration of Independence
Is there anything more American than the Declaration of Independence? While the original document that formally condemned the reign of George III resides alongside the Constitution and the Bill of Rights at the National Archives and Museum in Washington, D.C., the first single copies of the legendary document, printed by publisher and bookseller John Dunlap on the evening of July 4, 1776, can be found elsewhere. The last 26 surviving copies are scattered among institutions such as the Library of Congress, the New York Public Library, and Harvard University’s Houghton Library.
The white boots of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders and Jackie Robinson’s Brooklyn Dodgers uniform
If you’ve been watching America’s Sweetheart On Netflix, you’ll learn that the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC) are not only incredibly talented, but also extremely underpaid, while male football players make millions of dollars. One of the most recognizable pieces of clothing for DCC performers is their iconic white cowboy boots, a pair of which now resides in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, along with uniforms and other memorabilia that embodies the cheerleading team’s mark on American history and identity.
A New York City institution celebrates the life of Jackie Robinson, a pioneering baseball player and civil rights activist who also plays another of America’s favorite sports. At the Jackie Robinson Museum in Manhattan, visitors can find historical memorabilia from his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers, including the uniform and bat Robinson used in 1947, his first season with the team.
Kinmen Fortune Cookie Factory
Possibly from Japan Tsujiura Senbei (meaning “fortune cookie”), this classic American dessert was invented in San Francisco in the early 20th century, during a period of great immigration from Japan following the enactment of the Chinese Exclusion Act to expel Chinese laborers. Today, the history of this prophetic cookie lives on at the family-owned Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, which owner Kevin Chan describes as “a small museum and an institution, more than just a shop.” Founded in 1962 by Chan’s mother and uncle, this long-standing San Francisco business offers visitors a glimpse into the traditional way these classic treats are made using antique machines and can be seen being assembled by hand.
Coney Island in the movies
Peruse decades of Coney Island history at the Brooklyn Museum, where more than 200 archival photographs document the New York seaside resort and generations of community members, from the boardwalk to the beach in all its glory and absurdity. “These photographs reflect Coney Island as a microcosm of national sentiment, but also as a community in its own right, maintaining its essence through the bonds of affection and camaraderie,” wrote Imani Williford, a curatorial assistant at the Brooklyn Museum, in a recent article about the collection.
Vintage Heinz Ketchup Bottle
Ketchup’s origins can be traced back 500 years to southern China, but American manufacturers such as Heinz made the tomato-based sauce a beloved American restaurant and fast-food staple in the late 19th century. ketchup Learn about culinary history at Pittsburgh’s Heinz History Center, which houses hundreds of artifacts related to the condiment, an 11-foot-long ketchup bottle made from more than 400 individual containers, and more.
For those who love mustard—yes, you can have it both ways—Wisconsin’s National Mustard Museum offers free admission to visitors to explore more than 6,000 jars of the tangy condiment from all 50 states and more than 70 countries. The museum also hosts the annual World Mustard Competition and the National Mustard Festival.
Dream jeans
While it may come as a surprise that denim was invented in Nîmes, France, blue jeans are an American invention, patented in 1873 by Levi Strauss & Co. founders Levi Strauss and Jacob David. The company’s history is intertwined with racism, as it adopted anti-Chinese labor policies in the 1880s, but the blue jeans themselves have transcended the brand to become one of the most cherished pants in the U.S. and around the world today. Denim aficionados can find a pair of jeans adorned with red, blue and silver buttons at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City.
