Sally Kohn: Why Ethnic Studies Are Good for America
[Sally Kohn, Chief Agitation Officer of the Movement Vision Lab, is a community organizer, writer and political commentator.]
There’s a proverb that says, "Until the lion tells his own story of being hunted, history will always glorify the hunter." This, in essence, is the reason for ethnic studies.
The wonderful thing about America is that we are and have always been a nation of many stories coming together as one. But an unfortunate fact of our history has been that, for too long, certain parts of our collective have been overlooked or excluded. Most American children know about Lewis and Clark but not Sacajawea. They know about Thomas Jefferson but not Sally Hemmings. Because of who has traditionally held the microphone (and power) in American history, certain perspectives are amplified more than others.
Wait, you say. I know who Sacajawea and Sally Hemmings are! Well then, good for you -- you have ethnic studies to thank.
The fact is that in our increasingly racially and ethnically diverse nation, we are not preparing our children for the future they face if we do not teach them a history that includes the many communities that make up our nation....
Read entire article at Alternet
There’s a proverb that says, "Until the lion tells his own story of being hunted, history will always glorify the hunter." This, in essence, is the reason for ethnic studies.
The wonderful thing about America is that we are and have always been a nation of many stories coming together as one. But an unfortunate fact of our history has been that, for too long, certain parts of our collective have been overlooked or excluded. Most American children know about Lewis and Clark but not Sacajawea. They know about Thomas Jefferson but not Sally Hemmings. Because of who has traditionally held the microphone (and power) in American history, certain perspectives are amplified more than others.
Wait, you say. I know who Sacajawea and Sally Hemmings are! Well then, good for you -- you have ethnic studies to thank.
The fact is that in our increasingly racially and ethnically diverse nation, we are not preparing our children for the future they face if we do not teach them a history that includes the many communities that make up our nation....