Stefanie Santangelo

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In my classroom, I use Chapter One from A People’s History of the United States — the arrival of Columbus — juxtaposed with the “textbook’s” telling of the impact of Columbus’ arrival.

My students focus particularly on the primary sources therein to discuss perspectives of history, and how history is recorded and retold. Who decides which history is learned?

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A People’s History: Supplement or Textbook?

Essay by Staughton Lynd in response to one of the recent media attacks on Howard Zinn and A People’s History. These attacks include Sam Wineburg’s “Undue Certainty: Where Howard Zinn’s A People’s History Falls Short” in the American Federation of Teachers’ American Educator magazine and “Agit-Prof: Howard Zinn’s influential mutilations of American history” by David Greenberg in The New Republic.

Pentagon Papers collage | Zinn Education Project
Articles

Camouflaging the Vietnam War: How Textbooks Continue to Keep the Pentagon Papers a Secret

Article. By Bill Bigelow. 2013. If We Knew Our History Series.
While new U.S. history textbooks mention the Pentagon Papers, none grapples with the actual import of the Pentagon Papers.

If We Knew Our History

‘Repeat After Me: The United States Is Not an Imperialist Country — Oh, and Don’t Get Emotional About War’

Article. By Bill Bigelow. If We Knew Our History Series.
Few people in this country know the sordid truth about the long history of U.S. warfare against, and exploitation of, Mexico — and by banning the successful Mexican American Studies program, the Tucson, Arizona school board wants to keep it that way.