“I have found that, to make a contended slave, it is necessary to make a thoughtless one.” – Frederick Douglass
A recent post on Medium titled “White People Do Not Know History, They Only Know Mythology” caught my eye. I have little doubt that Americans by and large know very little of this country’s actual history.
The USA’s educational leaders have long curated a mythology, intentionally reshaping history to project moral purity while concealing uncomfortable truths. From erasing Indigenous genocide and the romanticizing of westward expansion as “Manifest Destiny,” to the whitewashing of slavery, segregation, and imperial interventions abroad, Americas have often preferred stories of delusion and false progress over one of truth and accountability.
This continues today in modern battles over education. Book bans that silence Black, queer, and Indigenous voices; political efforts to restrict the teaching of systemic racism; and the rebranding of violent chapters like Japanese internment or the Iraq War as necessary acts of patriotism. By sanitizing the past, a nation shields itself from reflection, mistaking comfort for unity.
As a lifelong amateur historian (I also majored in it in undergrad), I have always wanted to know the truth and understand what really occurred as best I could. I’ve read thousands of pages of historical documents, books, articles, and biographies. I believe reading history is an act of moral clarity. It allows us to see the world not as we wish it to be, but as it has been, all of it, including its raw, complex, and all too often uncomfortable parts. When we study history honestly, we uncover patterns of power, prejudice, and progress that shape the present and warn us of what can return. It reminds us that democracy, justice, and equality are not permanent states but ongoing struggles. In a time when misinformation spreads faster than truth, reading history is both resistance and responsibility. It’s a way to ground ourselves in reality and to ensure that the stories of the silenced are never forgotten.
Recently, I finished The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Himself. Shamefully, I never read it until now, but always better late than never.
In my next blog post, I plan on exploring the themes of Douglass’s work, but for now, I am writing to encourage that ALL Americas take time to understand the true history that has occurred in this country.
Obviously aside from Douglass’s work, here are some of my favorite works of American history that have had me reexamine my own thoughts, beliefs, and convictions. Having read them opened my eyes to things we were never taught in school – purposefully.
Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen
If you start anywhere, start with this one. Loewen critiques the way American history is taught in schools, and in doing so, exposes how many textbooks sanitize or distort the truth to present a patriotic, conflict-free version of the past. Through rigorous research, he reveals how stories about figures like Columbus, Lincoln, and Helen Keller are oversimplified or mythologized, hiding uncomfortable truths about racism, class struggle, and imperialism. The book urges readers to think critically about history and education’s role in shaping national identity.
What I learned: The importance of truth-telling in education and challenging myths that perpetuate ignorance and bias.
A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
Zinn retells the story of America through the voices of those traditionally left out of mainstream history: Indigenous people, enslaved Africans, women, workers, and civil rights activists. Rather than celebrating presidents and generals, Zinn focuses on grassroots movements and social struggles that shaped the nation. He exposes how power, privilege, and exploitation have defined much of U.S. history, encouraging readers to question the dominant narratives they were taught.
What I learned: History from the viewpoint of the people themselves, which challenges official stories to highlight the fight for equality and justice.
A Renegade History of the United States by Thaddeus Russell
In one of my favorites. Russell presents a provocative reinterpretation of American history, arguing that the country’s freedoms and cultural vibrancy were born not from moral reformers or political leaders, but from society’s rebels and outcasts. Prostitutes, drunks, hustlers, and entertainers—those who defied puritanical norms—helped expand personal liberty and tolerance. He challenges readers to rethink morality and recognize how nonconformity shaped American values.
What I learned: Freedom is a product of rebellion and celebrating the influence of outsiders and rule-breakers in shaping American culture.
How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith
This one is special to me, as I had the pleasure of meeting Smith and having him sign my book! Smith embarks on a journey to historical landmarks. His travels from Jefferson’s Monticello to Angola Prison in Louisiana explore how America remembers its legacy of slavery. Blending personal reflection, interviews, and historical analysis, he illustrates the ways memory, denial, and storytelling influence how Americans understand the past. The book underscores that slavery’s legacy is not distant history but a living part of the present.
What I learned: Confronting historical memory is acknowledging how slavery continues to shape American identity and society.
Moral Minority: Our Skeptical Founding Fathers by Brooke Allen
I read this book at a time when I thought all Founders were devout Christians. It was a hard read at the time because it challenged me in ways I found unsettling. But ultimately, this book created a kinder more accepting person. Allen challenges the common belief that the United States was founded as a Christian nation. Drawing from letters, speeches, and writings, she demonstrates that key Founding Fathers, such as Jefferson, Franklin, and Madison, were religious skeptics who emphasized reason, science, and individual liberty over dogma. The book offers a nuanced portrait of early American thought and defends the secular foundations of the republic.
What I learned: Enlightenment ideals and secularism shaped the Constitution, not religion, in addition to how skepticism and reason guided the moral vision of America’s founders.
© 2025 HR Philosopher. All rights reserved.
The HR Philosopher 