100 Objects #1: The Century Safe

The Century Safe, created in 1876 to commemorate the U.S. Centennial, serves as a cautionary tale regarding the limitations of historical preservation. Sealed with objects intended to represent the nation, the safe remained largely forgotten until its 1976 opening, which revealed a collection of mundane items that failed to capture the era's true significance. Historian Jill Lepore highlights the inherent asymmetry of the historical record, noting that the artifacts of the powerful are disproportionately preserved while the experiences of the marginalized vanish. This episode introduces a new series, "A History of the United States in 100 Objects," which aims to move beyond official archives by examining common, discarded, and personal artifacts to construct a more inclusive narrative of American history, acknowledging both the country’s triumphs and its profound failures.