Teaching US History since 1970 (11 January 2026)

Historical perspective challenges anyone who attempts it. A Chinese historian has told me that the last five centuries are too brief to be considered history. A few colleagues have debated if it is appropriate to use datasets about the era of the Second World War because so many people have memories from the years between 1935 and 1955. At the other extreme, a variety of scientists and social scientists have mistaken the chronologies of their data for the experience of human interpretation. The discussion of the anthropocene and other geological time frames are one popular example. Physicists and their approaches to galactic time, or the absence of particle time, all mistake the study of the past for the rigor of professional history.

On Sunday, January 11, 2026, the American Historical Association will raise questions about the study of the United States since 1970. I can hear the voices of Howard Zinn and James Loewen encouraging the audience to engage this conversation by advancing the tradition of social history – hearing as many insights as possible, especially from people whose voices had been omitted before 1970. At the other extreme, the champions of elite, institutional knowledge believe that this approach sacrifices the value of history in teaching about the enduring lessons of empire, war, policy, and governance. Of course, in this setting, hearing from experts across these traditions is especially important.

This session is focused on the teaching of recent American history. The crisis of the last decade reached a peak this week, making the conversation even more important. Too many students still report that their courses stop after the Second World War. A few rare classrooms will reach the Vietnam War. Around 2010, I worked with teachers in Pennsylvania to build thematic approaches to the history of the United States that freed the students from the tyranny of the traditional chronology. It kept conflict as a major feature of the curriculum, but it offered more evidence of consensus over time. The fragmentation of the national narrative that emerged between 1968 and 1976 also works to discourage effective teaching. Polarization can lead to the devaluation of education and the erosion of democracy. Technology is one important hermeneutic to use for effective study. Music produces even more engagement. Most of all, conversations with families enable schools to do this work in powerful ways that endure. In my free book, THE ENGINE OF CREATION, these approaches receive a preliminary discussion. These strategies earned mention in Cathy Davidson and Catherine Katopodis’ book, THE NEW COLLEGE CLASSROOM. School districts around the world have applied these lessons using the New York City HIDDEN VOICES materials, especially THE GRAPHIC HISTORY OF HIP HOP. For a deeper approach to these methods, the award-winning collection titled ILLMATIC CONSEQUENCES shows the theoretical foundations for classroom innovations that save time and produce results.