the censorship of history and the fragility of power

The desire of governments to justify their authority and discredit adversaries by revising history is as old as history itself. While it is no surprise that authoritarian regimes would jettison truth in these efforts, the compulsion to abandon historical accuracy is no less evident in democracies such as the United States. This article traces the history of government censorship of history education over the past century and argues that a warts-and-all approach to such instruction is essential to teach students critical reasoning, the skills needed for self-government, and a measure of compassion for their fellow citizens.