Lies My Teacher Told Me

(Oct. 21, 2010) LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Author James W. Loewen will discuss his recent book in the Chao Auditorium.
When Oct 21, 2010
from 04:00 PM to 05:00 PM
Where Chao Auditorium, University of Louisville
Contact Name
Contact Phone 502-852-8811
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Some say Americans have lost touch with their history, and author James Loewen will tell why at a public lecture and discussion session Oct. 21 from 4-5 p.m. at the Chao Auditorium (map).

After surveying 18 leading high school American history textbooks, Loewen concludes that none makes history interesting or memorable. According to his book, Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong, Loewen notes that textbooks are blinded by patriotism, mindless optimism, misinformation and outright lies, thereby omitting almost all the ambiguity, passion, conflict and drama from our past.

"James Loewen has made a career of telling us how poorly we are educated and the problems with the content of our books and curricula," said Gary Gregg, director of the McConnell Center. "He is sure to shock and excite us all back to our books to reconsider what it is we think we know. In a republic where the people are to rule, there could not be a higher service than this."

Loewen is a regular contributor to the History Channel's History magazine and professor emeritus of sociology at the University of Vermont. He lives in Washington, D.C.