What passes for identity in America is a series of myths about one's heroic ancestors.James W. Loewen
Most history textbooks seem to hail from Texas, because every place has some kind of vague Texas connection.James W. Loewen
The antidote to feel-good history is not feel-bad history but honest and inclusive history.James W. Loewen
Heroification is a degenerative process that makes people over into heroes. Through this process, our educational media turn flesh-and-blood individuals into pious, perfect creatures without conflicts, pain, credibility, or human interest.James W. Loewen
Textbooks exclude conflict or real suspense. They leave out anything that might reflect badly upon our national character.James W. Loewen
Learning requires far more than just the rote memorization of facts.James W. Loewen
History, is a verb. It is the process of making meaning in the past. Because the craft so involves interpretation, historians disagree with each other.James W. Loewen
The purpose of history is to stimulate thinking about the ways society has evolved in order to better understand the present and shape the future.James W. Loewen
While it is true that students should learn that governments have done good things, they should also learn from history’s mistakes.James W. Loewen
Life is about making such decisions. Our national experience, and our entire civilization, so far, consists of a series of decisions. To be ignorant of them or blinded to their effects prevents us from making informed decisions about the future.James W. Loewen