War on History Education

As historians, we invite all Americans to join in defending the work of our colleagues in federal agencies entrusted with understanding and disseminating the nation’s past honestly and transparently.

We therefore call on our members and anyone who works in or cares about history to speak out against this most recent act of censorship and to defend the integrity of historical interpretation wherever it is threatened.

“federal actions and the systemic efforts to distort the historical record and impose through executive orders and actions a narrow vision of the American past.”

America 250: Presidential Message on the Anniversary of Our Victory in the Mexican-American War

We define academic freedom as “the freedom of a researcher in higher education to investigate and discuss the issues in his or her academic field, and teach or publish findings without interference from political figures, boards of trustees, donors or other entities.”

academic freedom is the freedom of teachers and researchers at colleges and universities to do the work of educating students and advancing knowledge in their fields.

If you care about the reputation that backstops your child’s diploma, you should care about that institution’s commitment to academic freedom.

The city’s lawsuit names Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron. The complaint asks a judge to order that the removal of “interpretive panels referencing slavery” was an “arbitrary and capricious” act, making it unlawful.

President’s House has been designated a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site pursuant to a 1998 act of Congress. In removing exhibits referencing slavery, the Trump administration acted without statutory authority, the city argues.

This included parts of displays titled: “Life Under Slavery,” “History Lost & Found,” “The Executive Branch,” “The Dirty Business of Slavery,” “The House and the People Who Worked & Lived In It,” and an illustration with the words “An Act respecting fugitives from Justice.”

Martin Peterson, a philosophy professor,

But although this kind of censorship may be absurd and sinister, it is ironically fitting that Plato, of all philosophers, should be targeted by a regime worried about the effect of subversive ideas on tender minds. Almost 2,500 years ago, Plato’s teacher, Socrates, was sentenced to death by the city of Athens for exactly the same reason.

U.S. Department of Education (the Department), alongside the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), Turning Point USA, Hillsdale College

American First Policy Institute Greg Sindelar.

Turning Point Education.

Priests for Life

Moms for Liberty

First Liberty Institute

The point is that what's most important is that we have a place to express ourselves. And in those places, when young people, for example, professors at West Point teach the future generals of the United States, those people will learn from the professors, and when they go on and be successful in their careers, including leading our country in wars, we will be more confident that they know the critical points that are necessary to win those wars.

The interest is in speaking and teaching and writing according to your conscience. And, if you can't do that, then everybody has a shared value in trying to ensure that we can make some changes and go about deciding how to do that, and do it effectively.

the point is that we have to have that opportunity to speak, or we can't advance as a society, as an institution, and our knowledge will be a whole lot less if we're disabled by prior restraint of our speaking, if we're subject to the approval of someone else before we speak or write or teach.

Tim Bakken,

longest-serving law professor in West Point's history

Tim Bakken, Law Professor, United States Military Academy at West Point

I wouldn't be able to opine on the value of a majority opinion of the Supreme Court or question a dissenting opinion of the Supreme Court if, in my opinion, those majority or dissenting opinions were right or wrong.

The online content was taken down at the beginning of the year because this administration believes in only administering facts based on real science to the American public, not brainless fear-mongering rhetoric used to steal taxpayer dollars.”

The Secretary proposes one additional priority and related definitions for use in currently authorized discretionary grant programs or programs that may be authorized in the future.

The success of the American experiment in self-government requires the cultivation of both citizenship competency and informed patriotism among the American People. Citizens must understand why our free-market economy is a highly evolved system of cooperation fostered by our constitutional republic, and how it functions to secure the blessings of liberty for all Americans. This understanding can only be acquired and prove to be lasting when rooted in a recognition of the nobility of America's foundational principles and ideals, and an accurate and honest account of American history that shows how the United States has worked through private and public efforts to live up to them better. All too often, government is misunderstood to be synonymous with those things that We the People do together when in fact it is merely a subset thereof. Rather, our voluntary individual actions channeled through the intermediary institutions of civil society—such as our companies, places of worship, schools, fraternal organizations, and civic associations—are critically important to the proper functioning of the American economic, social, and political system. In the American system of liberty, educated citizens who know their rights and meet their responsibilities cooperate to build a more perfect Union and inherit the opportunities of a free society. To provide a common foundation and shared conception of this more perfect Union, we must transmit to all American students a shared understanding of our political, economic, intellectual, and cultural history—including our national symbols and heroes. At the same time, this American political tradition must be situated within the broader context of the political, economic, intellectual, and cultural history of Western Civilization. This priority focuses grant funds on programs that promote a patriotic education that cultivates citizen competency and informed patriotism among and communicates the American political tradition to students at all levels, including activities and programs accessible to students with special needs.

Patriotic education means a presentation of the history of America grounded in an accurate, honest, unifying, inspiring, and ennobling characterization of the American founding and foundational principles; a clear examination of how the United States has admirably grown closer to its noble principles throughout its history; and the concept that commitment to America's aspirations is beneficial and justified. Note: Nothing in this definition should be construed as implicating a particular curriculum, program of instruction, or specific academic

The influence of Western Europe upon the American political tradition.

the role of faith;

Note: Nothing in this definition should be construed as implicating a particular curriculum, program of instruction, or specific academic content.