The report’s authors seem to believe that there is only one correct way to do history, only one correct interpretation of history, only one version of history that merits recognition, beliefs that are fundamentally at odds with the practice of history, which encourages dialogue, discussion, and debate. Indeed, the report is deeply critical of narratives of American history that emphasize democracy and diversity, interpretations that highlight the significance of political activism and social movements, and projects that present inspirational and instructional stories about how and why the United States has evolved.
Make no mistake about it: the report represents an attempt to turn back the clock to a time when U.S. history was taught as the history of white Christian men who conquered a continent, U.S. military leaders who never lost a battle, and U.S. presidents who were single-handedly responsible for national greatness. In educational contexts, we expect math and science teachers to offer up-to-date lessons that reflect today’s knowledge, not outdated information that has been discredited and superseded by leading scholars in their fields; we should expect the same in historical, humanities, and museum contexts. If the National Museum of American History adopts the approaches recommended in the new report, the majority of Americans—immigrants, women, workers, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ people—will not see themselves represented, and America’s rich and complex history will be reduced to shallow, superficial, and simple-minded stories.
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