Are We Teaching the Whole Story?

Abstract

This chapter examines the incorporation of marginalized Americans in high school American history state standards and selected curriculum guides in three southern states: Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Using critical race theory (CRT) as a lens, this study examines marginalized narratives and historic events within the standards and curriculum guides, specifically seeking to understand two big ideas: How are the narratives and experiences of marginalized Americans represented in high school American history standards and curriculum guides? and Which marginalized Americans, and events involving them, appear in the standards and curriculum guides? The findings suggest that even into the second decade of the 21st century, content coverage in these three states' high school American history curricula continues to trend toward over-representation of conditions of oppression and resistance to it rather than examples of ingenuity, creativity, and cultural contributions.