Open with the central idea that the history of slavery and white supremacy is under attack by a well-organized conservative movement.
Explain the deliberate attempts to erase or whitewash the reality of slavery in American history and why this is dangerous for future generations.
Textbooks and the Whitewashing of Slavery
Discuss how American textbooks have historically falsified, downplayed, and distorted the truth about slavery.
Provide examples of textbooks referring to enslaved people as “workers” or “immigrants,” and highlight the absurdity and danger of such language.
Mention specific instances like the Texas textbook controversies and the harmful trope of the “happy slave” perpetuated in children’s literature.
The Pushback Against Accurate History
Detail efforts to challenge more accurate discussions of slavery, including resistance to the 1619 Project.
Discuss how Republican lawmakers have tried to ban the teaching of the 1619 Project and deny funding to schools that use it, framing this as part of a larger effort to suppress difficult truths about slavery.
The 1776 Commission and Patriotic Education
Introduce Trump’s 1776 Commission as a counter-effort to the 1619 Project, which aimed to create a “patriotic” pro-America narrative in schools.
Analyze the 1776 Commission’s goal of downplaying slavery and erasing the violent history of colonization, while promoting an idealized version of American history.
Mention Biden’s cancellation of the 1776 Commission but emphasize that the push for “patriotic education” still continues in several states.
Attacking Critical Race Theory
Highlight the conservative attack on Critical Race Theory, particularly in states like Tennessee, Texas, and Oklahoma.
Explain that Critical Race Theory is about critically analyzing the role of race in American history, not a “theory” but a framework for understanding systemic racism.
Florida’s Role in Distorting Slavery’s History
Provide examples from Florida, where lawmakers have attempted to teach that slavery had “positive benefits” and silenced any classroom discussions that make white students uncomfortable.
Emphasize that history should not be “comfortable” and that grappling with difficult truths is necessary for understanding the past.
The Importance of Teaching Hard History
Argue that teaching the real history of slavery is essential, despite its discomfort.
Quote historian Hassan Kwame Jeffries, who explains why slavery is “hard history” and the importance of confronting the violence, inhumanity, and ideology of white supremacy.
Conservatives’ Agenda: A New Narrative
Summarize the conservative agenda to reshape history by downplaying slavery’s brutality and pushing a narrative that slavery wasn’t that bad or wasn’t even slavery.
Explain that this new narrative is a dangerous lie that seeks to erase the lasting impact of slavery and white supremacy in today’s world.
Conclusion: The Responsibility to Teach the Truth
Reinforce the responsibility of educators to research, teach, and preserve the real history of slavery and white supremacy, even though it is difficult.
End with a call to action for all history teachers to commit to teaching “hard history” because confronting these truths is crucial for understanding both the past and the present.