Everything your american history textbook got wrong new york. Loewen, author of lies my teacher told me, more than picking apart the cherished myths of american history. Loewen writes that american history books unapologetically present native americans through white eyes, and while these books have improved in their depictions, they still need to be more. Loewen has 20 books on goodreads with 200718 ratings. Loewen, a sociology professor and distinguished critic of history education, puts 12 popular textbooks under. Lies my teacher told me everything your american history. A sociologist who spent two years at the smithsonian surveying twelve leading high school textbooks of american history only to find an. Loewen, who holds the distinction of being the bestselling living sociologist today. Lies my teacher told me, and how american history can be used as a weapon. Everything your american history textbook got wrong, and lies across. How to avoid the tyranny of textbooks and get students excited. Lies my teacher told me, and how american history can be.
Lies my teacher told me is, in part, a telling critique of existing books but. In this little book, loewen skillfully makes these connections without. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most. He is professor emeritus of sociology at the university of vermont and lives in washington, dc. Loewen author of lies my teacher told me goodreads. Beginning with precolumbian history and ranging over characters and events as diverse as reconstruction, helen keller, the first thanksgiving, and the mai lai massacre, loewen offers an eyeopening critique of existing textbooks, and a. Loewen taught race relations for twenty years at the university of vermont. Loewen demonstrates that strict racial exclusion was the norm in american towns and villages from sea to shining sea for much of the twentieth century. Loewen continues his mission, begun in the awardwinning lies my teacher told me, of overturning the myths and misinformation that too often pass for american history. Everything your american history textbook got wrong, p.
He also wrote teaching what really happened and the mississippi chinese. Between black and white and edited the confederate. Sebesta to put in perspective the mythology of the old south. We have new and used copies available, in 6 editions. Loewen is an acclaimed historian and bestselling author whose mission. Discover book depositorys huge selection of james w loewen books online.
In 1995, the university of vermont sociologist and historian james w. Previously he taught at predominantly black tougaloo college in mississippi. Loewen is the bestselling and awardwinning author of lies my teacher told me, lies across america, lies my teacher told me about christopher columbus, sundown towns, and lies my teacher told me. Conflict and change coauthored, which won the lillian smith award for best southern nonfiction but was rejected for publicschool text use by the state of mississippi, leading to the pathbreaking first amendment lawsuit, loewen et al. Lies my teacher told me lies across america sundown towns teaching what really happened mississippi chinese lies my. It critically examines twelve popular american high school history textbooks and concludes that the textbook authors propagate false, eurocentric and mythologized views of american history.
James w loewen books biography and list of works author of. Up a creek, with a paddle is an intimate and often humorous memoir by the author of lies my teacher told me, james w. Lies my teacher told me won the american book award and the oliver cromwell cox award for distinguished antiracist scholarship. Everything your american history textbook got wrong, which was republished in. James william loewen born february 6, 1942 is an american sociologist, historian, and author, who is best known for his 1995 book, lies my teacher told. Loewen published a book that sought to debunk the myriad myths children were often taught about the united states past. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author.
A sociologist who spent two years at the smithsonian surveying twelve leading high school textbooks of american history only to find an embarrassing blend of bland optimism, blind nationalism, and plain misinformation, weighing in at an average of 888 pages and almost five pounds. Loewen is the bestselling and awardwinning author of lies my teacher told me, lies across america, lies my teacher told me about christopher. Loewen, emeritus professor of sociology at the university of vermont, is the author of lies my teacher told me and the confederate and neoconfederate reader. He now lives in washington, dc, continuing his research on how americans remember their past, and gives workshops for teacher groups around the united states. We equate these words with the jim crow south but, in a sweeping analysis of american residential patterns, awardwinning and bestselling author james w. James william loewen was born on february 6th, 1942 in decatur, illinois. Everything your american history textbook got wrong, and lies across america. Loewen james loewens gripping retelling of american history as it should, and could, be taught, lies my teacher told me, has sold more than 1,500,000 copies and continues to inspire k16 teachers to get students to challenge, rather than memorize, their textbooks.
Winner of the 1996 american book award and the oliver cromwell cox award for distinguished. The 150th anniversary of secession and civil war provides a moment for all americans to hear these documents, properly set in context by awardwinning sociologist and historian james w. A highly soughtafter speaker and author, he engages audiences with intelligence and humor, honing in on a range of topics encompassing u. Loewen is the bestselling author of lies my teacher told me and lies across america. Everything your american history textbook got wrong by james w loewen online at alibris.
This is a oneofakind examination of historic sites all over the country where history is literally written on the landscape, including. Rivers are good metaphors for life, and paddling for living. Thom discusses the lies written about us history in textbooks with conversations with great minds guest, dr. Everything your american history textbook got wrong. Now, in a new edition, loewen champions critical thinking in the age of fake news. Jim loewen is an american sociologist, historian, and author, best known for his 1995 book, lies my teacher told me. Loewen brings history alive in all its complexity and ambiguity. Between black and white, social science in the courtroom. August 9, 2018 james loewens 1995 book explained how history textbooks got the story of america wrong. Touchstone, 1995, 2007 the confederate and neoconfederate reader. Loewen is the bestselling and awardwinning author of lies my teacher told me, lies across america, lies my teacher told me about christopher columbus, sundown towns, and the forthcoming lies my teacher told me for young readers all from the new press. What started out as a survey of the twelve leading american history textbooks has ended up being what the san francisco chronicle calls an extremely convincing plea for truth in education. He is a regular contributor to the history channels history magazine and is a professor emeritus of sociology at the university of vermont.
Beginning with precolumbian history and ranging over characters and events as diverse as reconstruction, helen keller, the first thanksgiving, the my lai massacre, 911, and the iraq war, loewen offers an eyeopening critique of existing. In addition to his critique of the dominant historical themes presented in high. Accessories such as cd, codes, toys, may not be included. Loewen is an acclaimed historian and bestselling author whose mission is to overturn myths and misinformation that too often pass for u. The son of a doctor and a librarian, loewen was a good student from an early age and graduated as a national merit scholar from his high school in 1960. Spine creases, wear to binding and pages from reading. Loewen has won the american book award, the oliver cromwell cox award for distinguished antiracist scholarship, the spirit of america award from the national council for the social studies, and the gustavus myers outstanding book award.