Drawing from the theoretical lenses of cultural memory and critical race theory, we examined how elementary level and middle school level social studies textbooks represent the history of racial violence directed toward African Americans and resistance to this violence in the U.S. Using a literary analysis method, we found that textbooks often…

This article focuses on how public schools have functioned in the ideological production of race in America and their critical role in shaping the way Americans understand specific definitions of race as well as the muted rules of racial etiquette. The author analyzes American schools as racializing institutions, that is institutions with the…

This case study examines a U.S. History class where a veteran teacher uses challenging primary source documents and a debate to encourage his students to think critically about history. The teacher is knowledgeable about the subject matter and articulates a clear purpose for teaching. Surprisingly, the author finds that the teacher's methods,…

In 2007, against a tragically ironic backdrop of National Poetry Month, April indeed was "the cruellest month" (Eliot 1922, I.1). The media spotlight during that time repositioned from Iraq and Afghanistan to Blacksburg, Virginia, where a stateside guerilla incursion at Virginia Tech would mark the single worst episode of school shooting…

This paper tests the hypothesis that education improves health and increases life expectancy. The analysis of smoking histories shows that after 1950, when information about the dangers of tobacco started to diffuse, the prevalence of smoking declined earlier and most dramatically for college graduates. I construct panels based on smoking…

This paper presents a case for reading and writing social justice poetry in the childhood educational curriculum. Social justice poetry uses verse to protest unfair and unjust living conditions in society. An historical case study shows how social justice poetry was used to combat social injustice in the United States. Specifically, it shows how…

In this article, the author maps the complex history of objects collected on the Lewis and Clark expedition. He follows the objects from the Peale Museum where they were first exhibited to their final destination, the Peabody Museum at Harvard University. The author sheds light on how the manipulation and exhibition of one collection can encompass…

"Teaching History to Adolescents: A Quest for Relevance" is an exploration of research, ideas, trends, and practices for educators who teach American history to adolescents from the middle grades through high school. Higher education faculty in history and professional education will also find the book germane to their work. Topics within the…

For most of American history, businesses were run to provide livelihoods and "reasonable" profit. In the last few decades, though, business and society in general have moved toward emphasizing profit maximization and individual self-interest. The shift from "reasonable profit" to profit maximization has significant implications…

Despite the laudable intent of various educational initiatives in raising the achievement level of all children, limited progress has been made. In an effort to diminish the achievement gap of students of color, some researchers have examined the cultural relevancy of the curriculum in promoting student achievement. The purpose of this mixed…

The tragedy of 9/11 is perhaps the most significant event so far in the 21st century. Ten years later, the vast majority of elementary school students have no personal connection with the original events, yet all live in a world that has been and continues to be affected by 9/11. How can teachers introduce young students to the events of that…

History has placed the stamp of approval on the publication of the Pentagon Papers, the top-secret history of the Vietnam War. If WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange is another Daniel Ellsberg, then it is possible the website's disclosures will be viewed over time as similarly in the public interest. A classroom discussion on the release of…

Due to political agreements between Micronesian nations and the US government, greater numbers of people are migrating from these "small islands" in the western Pacific to the United States. I interviewed 26 Micronesian adults to explore their childhood experiences in island schools and their perceptions about education for immigrant…

Humorist Josh Billings quipped, "About the most originality that any writer can hope to achieve honestly is to steal with good judgment." Billings was harsh in his view of originality, but his critique reveals a tension faced by students every time they write a history paper. Research is the essence of any history paper. Especially in high school,…

There is no country on Earth more populated by immigrants than the United States. Most U.S. residents (99 percent) have ancestors who were immigrants to this continent, whether they came voluntarily as travelers, or involuntarily as slaves. These immigrants have helped to shape the social and economic foundations of their adopted nation. According…