American history
Florida congressman proposes federal funding to help schools fight book bans
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost unveiled legislation Tuesday to combat a nationwide surge in book bans. Frost, a Florida Democrat, is pushing the “Fight Book Bans Act,” which he discussed at a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol alongside fellow House Democrats and advocacy groups. Frost’s bill would provide funding for school districts so […]
Hands off our national myth, er, story – the dynamic driving anti-wokeness
Legitimacy and the fear of losing it. That’s at the root of efforts to whitewash teaching that would otherwise tell stark, uncomfortable truths about U.S. history and the impacts that linger today. I’m referring here to the legitimacy of American exceptionalism. There are many who demand homogeneity even on what we agree is our national […]
National museum of LGBTQI+ history and culture proposed by Wisconsin congressman
WASHINGTON — Proposed federal legislation could add LGBTQI+ history and culture to the Smithsonian Institution’s museum tapestry. U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, a Wisconsin Democrat, introduced two bills in late October that would begin the process of creating a National Museum of American LGBTQI+ History and Culture. Both bills would need to be signed into law […]
Oklahomans concerned contentious law impacts teaching of ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ history
OKLAHOMA CITY — With the movie release of “Killers of the Flower Moon” only days away, questions still persist about Oklahoma schools’ ability to teach the historical events depicted in the film. The source of the uncertainty is House Bill 1775, a 2021 state law regulating classroom discussions on race and gender. Tribal leaders have […]
NC Appeals Court rules for Town of Louisburg in removal of Confederate monument
The North Carolina Court of Appeals sided with the Town of Louisburg Tuesday in a lawsuit over the its removal of a Confederate monument. The court found local residents, who had sued the town, did not have legal standing and were unable to establish their “proprietary or contractual interest in the monument” or “a legally […]
Historical record confirms claims of Tuscarora Nation of NC
The quest to have the aboriginal status, rights, and privileges of the Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina (TNNC) reaffirmed by the state and federal governments should be based on historically accurate, unbiased, and ethical research. And make no mistake: there is plenty of it. According to state and federal officials, the TNNC is neither recognized […]
House Bill 686 would require schools to teach about the Civil Rights Movement
Last week, as state Republicans fast tracked a flurry of bills critics consider harmful to transgender youth, a bill requiring the Civil Rights Movement be taught in middle school and high school civics classes received bipartisan support and a favorable hearing in the House K-12 Education Committee. House Bill 686 would amend current state law […]
Juneteenth offers new ways to teach about slavery, Black perseverance and American history
Whenever I tell high school students in classes I visit that I appreciated learning about slavery as a child growing up in the Caribbean, they often look confused. Why, they ask, did I like learning about slavery given that it was so horrible and harsh? How could I value being taught about something that caused […]
Weekend humor from Celia Rivenbark: Are you smarter than an 8th grader? Not if you’re MTG
Quit picking on U.S. eighth graders for having the lowest scores in history and civics ever. Give ‘em a break. Heck, some of them are working late nights at McDonald’s in Kentucky WITH THEIR YOUNGER SIBLINGS. The recent handwringing about how little eighth graders know about history and civics is understandable, but the kids still […]
Some uplifting U.S. military news for Memorial Day 2023
Editor’s note: This Friday, June 2, 2023, will mark the dawn of an important new era for the largest military base in the world — North Carolina’s Fort Bragg. As part of the U.S. Military’s long overdue initiative to remove the names of Confederates who fought against the United States during the Civil War and […]
We aren’t supposed to imply that the Founders (slaveholders) weren’t always paragons of virtue
LONDON – In 2022, the Prince and Princess of Wales (you know them as William and Kate) toured the Commonwealth countries of the Caribbean, former slave colonies. They made a bit of a mess. At one event the royal couple were supposed to meet a bunch of children, but found themselves separated from the kids […]