Teaching in the Age of Anti-History: A Teacher’s Reflections

This reflective article argues that teaching authentic, inclusive history is essential—and increasingly threatened—amid rising anti-history legislation, book bans, and political efforts to sanitize the nation’s past. Drawing on a 45-year career, I illustrate how challenges to factual truths, such as Africa’s historical geography or the realities of slavery and Reconstruction, exemplify broader resistance to multicultural narratives. I contend that restrictive laws undermine students understanding of their heritage and the country’s diverse foundations. In response, I advocate for primary sources, community history, and Sankofa-inspired pedagogy that connects past and present. Ultimately, I call on educators to resist censorship and uphold truthful, empowering history education.