Kathleen Franz
Head curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, specializing in transportation history and the social impact of artifacts such as the Ford Model T.
Best podcasts with Kathleen Franz
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Mar 20, 2026 • 19min
25 at 250: Costumes from ‘The Wiz’ and the car that changed America
Dwandolin Reese, Smithsonian humanities leader, recalls The Wiz’s iconic costume design and its ties to Afrofuturism and diasporic style. Kathleen Franz, Smithsonian transportation curator, traces how the Ford Model T transformed manufacturing, mobility and everyday life. They discuss costume craft, cultural visibility, mass production, and the ripple effects of a car that reshaped America.
