As a veteran of the college and university classroom, and having just retired after 53 years of teaching American history, government, and politics, I want to make clear that the attempted “white washing” of American history by the Trump Administration, will NOT succeed in the long run!
The truth and facts and reality of American history–the good, the bad, and the ugly–cannot be eliminated just because the present national government sets out to destroy the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution and its multitude of museums, and the many other historical sites and memorials.
Short term, we are seeing the attempt to reverse reality of the past, and it is a long hard struggle that will be waged over the years in the future, but the truth will win out in the long run!
We are not going to go back to a purely white Christian version of American history, as we will keep the faith on the truth of African American history; Latino American history; American Women’s history; Asian American history; Native American history; Gay and Lesbian American history; and Jewish American history!
All areas of American history will continue to be spoken about, taught to students, and scholarly works published!
“Red” state governors and legislatures, most notably in Florida and Texas, will continue to attempt to wipe out the reality of the historical record, and short term, they may be triumphing, but the battle to retain and preserve the past in an accurate manner, will return in the future.
And “Blue” state governors and their legislatures, and city mayors and city councils around urban America, will fight the good fight to keep alive the historical record as it is, explaining to future generations the positives and negatives of American history, and hold the federal, state, and local governments accountable for their actions!
Anything worth preserving requires dedication and commitment, and all scholars of American history, including this author and blogger, will NEVER give up the fight for the truth and reality!