The Problem With the “Disney Version of History”

News right now is dominated by rhetoric that casts immigrants as dangerous and is likely leaving Americans of many identities, including some of your students, feeling fearful and angry. Today, consider using these resources to teach your students about the long legacy of mistrust and discrimination immigrants from many countries have endured and how we can all use our voices to resist myths and misinformation.
Our students deserve an honest account of our nation’s history. That’s why we’re proud to share our new and expanded Teaching Hard History resources. They will help you tell a more complete story of American slavery that starts with Indigenous enslavement and includes students of all ages. To teach our students the truth about our shared hard history, we’ll need to start where the stories—and the learning—begin.
As we mark the 58th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march and witness the current assault on voting rights, particularly those rights of Black citizens, it’s imperative to connect the not-so-distant past to the present. These LFJ resources—including an interactive digital platform created in conjunction with the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research—can help remind us all of the sacrifices made in the name of democracy, provide context for the present, and inspire our continuing fight for justice.