Don't know much about history?

(October 21, 2010) LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Author James Loewen will discuss why Americans have lost touch with their history in a free public talk Oct. 21, 4 p.m., Chao Auditorium, Ekstrom Library.
Don't know much about history?

"Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong" is based on his book of the same name. Loewen is a University of Vermont sociology professor emeritus who found errors and other problems in several high school textbooks.

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 Dr. 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."

Co-sponsored withThe Filson Historical Society,University of Louisville History Departmentand the U of L Arts and Culture Partnership Initiative. Free and open to the public.