With support from the University of Richmond

History News Network

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

Saudi Textbook Withdrawn Over Image of Yoda With King

High school students in Saudi Arabia opened their social studies textbooks this week to find that the Force was with them.

In a lesson about the United Nations was a historic photograph of King Faisal. To his right stood Yoda, the Jedi master from the “Star Wars” films.

One ruled Saudi Arabia for 11 years, outlawed slavery, spread public education and introduced television to his country.

The other was adept with a light saber, trained Luke Skywalker and lived for more than 800 years.

How they had ended up together in a textbook in a country with no public movie theaters was anyone’s guess. Even the Saudi artist who created the image had no idea.

Read entire article at NYT