The Reconstruction Era Is Not Taught Well in US Schools -- Here's Why That Matters

[Nevilledog]

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/reconstruction-era-not-taught-schools

The post-Civil War Reconstruction era marked a period of massive social, political, economic, and cultural advancements for Black Americans. Between 1865 and 1877, formerly enslaved people gained citizenship rights, fought for land ownership and economic independence, ran for elected office, and established many civic, religious, and educational institutions that are still with us today. With these gains, however, also came fierce backlash to racial progress. White supremacists used violence and intimidation to reverse many of these advancements and ushered in a new era of Jim Crow laws.

Despite the fact that Reconstruction is an important, influential chapter in American history — and that we are still dealing with the fallout of its end — many public and private school curricula do not give adequate attention to this era, spending more time on other periods in American history, such as the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. A report from the Zinn Education Project released early last year found that, nationwide, the Reconstruction era is seldom taught accurately in K-12 schools, and often not enough class time is spent discussing this period. As a result, the Reconstruction era is poorly understood.

According to the Zinn report, state standards and history curricula nationwide fail to “teach a sufficiently complex and comprehensive history of Reconstruction.” Instead, students are often taught an inaccurate and racist depiction of the time. Jesse Hagopian, an educator and organizer with the Zinn Education Project, tells Teen Vogue, “Our report on Reconstruction discovered that the vast majority of states established education standards that ignore the role of white supremacy in ending Reconstruction, and they reproduce racist and false framings of Reconstruction that obscure the contributions of Black people to Reconstruction's achievements.”

Much of this is due to the fact that many history textbooks are either inadequate, outdated, or rely on misinformation and racist propaganda once peddled by the Dunning School, a group of Columbia University scholars led by historian William A. Dunning in the early 20th century. Most scholars and historians now recognize Reconstruction as a period of Black activism and prosperity, but the Dunning scholars created a school of thought that portrayed the Reconstruction era as a massive failure. According to this racist, revisionist history, Black Americans were “ignorant” and easily manipulated by northern Republicans, who took advantage of corrupt state governments to punish former Confederates and slave owners, who were predominately white southern Democrats.

*snip*


I've read some excellent pieces from Teen Vogue. I hope people don't dismiss it as a source.

[cbabe]

1. Jesse Hagopian: Settlement From Police Pepper Spray Assault to Support Student Activists

https://progressive.org/public-schools-advocate/settlement-police-pepper-spray-assault-support-student-activists/

Settlement From Police Pepper Spray Assault to Support Student Activists

BY TANNER JEAN-LOUIS JUNE 22, 2016 6:24 PM

Jesse Hagopian, Progressive Education Fellow and a history teacher at Garfield High School in Seattle, was speaking on the phone with his mother when he was pepper sprayed by a Seattle police officer without provocation.

The incident transpired on Martin Luther King Day last year. Police officer Sandra Delafuente who pepper-sprayed Hagopian and others was part of a line of officers who were attempting to block a peaceful demonstration against police brutality. Hagopian was not part of the demonstration, and was merely leaving a rally celebrating MLK day where he had given a speech.

A video of the incident demonstrates that neither Hagopian, nor others sprayed by the officer, were displaying any hostility towards the police. Delafuente began screaming at passers-by before blasting a stream of pepper spray across a broad swath of the sidewalk.

Hagopian reached a $100,000 settlement with the city over the incident. He decided to use the bulk of the award to support anti-racist work in Seattle and to found the “Black Education Matters Activist Scholar Award.”

…more…

Seattle Police pepper-spray School Teacher Jesse Hagopian on MLK Day

https://m.

[tishaLA]

2. Skip Gates did a 2 part PBS series on reconstruction a few years ago

I like to believe I know a good deal about American (and African American) history, but I learned something new almost every minute I was watching it. It's really worth checking out if anyone's interested.

[Nevilledog]

4. Looks good

https://www.pbs.org/weta/reconstruction/

[2naSalit]

3. It doesn't seem to get much attention.

When I was in public school, that subject was treated like something "we don't talk about" and it only got minimal mention.

[BootinUp]

5. You can't learn anything from history

if you don't know history.

[eppur_se_muova]

6. One of these days, I'm going to find my copy of this book and finishing reading it ...

The "Compromise of 1877" ended Reconstruction, and returned power to the former Confederates and their sympathizers.

[Solomon]

7. One of the best histories of Reconstruction

is Black Reconstruction written by WEB Dubois. Eye opening and mind blowing.

[raccoon]

8. In the 1960s I was taught that Reconstruction was a massive failure.

Only in recent years that I realize that was a very biased view.

[Solly Mack]

9. K&R

[scarletlib]

10. I went to school in the South.

All I learned about Reconstruction was carpetbaggers and Yankees coming to the South and leading in political and financial corruption. It was bad for the South. That’s it.

In reality it was a progressive era in the South. Did not last long, the elites opposed it from the beginning.

I came to the conclusion years ago that the North won the battle but the South never surrendered the war. The fight continues to today. White Supremacy and oppression of the poor are in its blood.

THE BLOODY SHIRT a book by Stephen Budiansky was a real eye opener for me.