When this musing goes live on July 5th, it will be one day after the 249th anniversary of American Independence. There are two areas of history that I have always been intrigued by- the American Revolution and World War II. While I have studied history over the years, even finishing a minor in the subject post-grad, I do not call myself a historian. Mainly because I do not think I am an authority or a history expert. I do consider myself a student of history though- a lifelong learner in pursuit of never-ending knowledge. I enjoy historical movies, television, and books, especially ones centered around either of the aforementioned time periods.
One of my favorite historical authors is David McCullough, author of “1776” and “John Adams”. The thing that stuck with me after reading “1776” was how much American Independence should not have happened. The campaign to free ourselves from the British Crown was a mixture of Murphy’s Law and divine intervention. I read the trials and tribulations of this endeavor with awe and confusion- how in the world were we able to win? But we did. We started a new country, a new system of government, and a new national identity.
What often gets lost in our American origin story are who we built this country on. While our Founding Fathers were creating a new government system of checks and balances, the people living in our new nation were continuing to build it. We wouldn’t be the country we are today without the land of the natives that was stolen in broken treaties, biological warfare, and displacement. We certainly wouldn’t be the country we are today without the labor of enslaved Black people who were stolen from their homeland for economic gain.
History is not all sunshine and rainbows; stories of only exceptionalism are just that- stories. History is ugly. It brings up bold mixed emotions. We are a country of contradictions. We were built on freeing ourselves from the oppressor while being oppressors. It can be hard to sit with at times, especially for those of us who were not taught the entire truth of history. Some of us only learned history from one side; we missed the historical lens of the oppressed.
I truly believe we do a disservice to ourselves and younger generations to not know or learn the truth of our history. How can we learn to do better if we do not know better?
This is one great reason I do not consider myself a historian. I am still learning all there is to know about American history. It is not something that falls into my lap either (okay, sometimes it does, thanks social media). For all the opinions about social media, sometimes you follow the right people who drop words of wisdom and teachings. For the most part though I have to actively seek out new knowledge. And even if I do follow those who share amazing resources, I still have to find the personal motivation to read the book they recommend or research the event they are discussing.
My biggest recommendation is taking a look at what you know and who you know it from and be intentional about finding other voices. As an American, one of the most ingrained biases in our society is anti-Blackness. I recommend finding Black voices to read, to watch, to listen to. The other societal bias is anti-women. If all your historians, artists, pop culture, and music are white dudes, it’s time to mix it up! And if you really want to learn and hear a different perspective, take specific notice of Black women because, with their intersectionality of identities, I believe they have the lens to see straight into the soul of this country and offer great words of wisdom and truth that we should not ignore.
If this musing makes you uncomfortable, or angry, or even disappointed in me, I ask that you sit with those feelings and ask yourself why. I am not above self-reflection, and I hope that you aren’t either. I don’t maintain that I have all the answers; remember, I am a student of history, not a historian for a reason. I can only share my learning in hopes that it inspires others to educate themselves as well.
One of my favorite pieces of historical storytelling is the Broadway musical “Hamilton.” A mixture of my favorite genres of music telling a historical story? How could I not love it?! As I write this, I am way down the rabbit hole of non-stop (see what I did there) listening to the musical again after the original cast performed at the Tony Awards in June to honor their ten-year anniversary. The title of this musing and the inspiration behind these words this month comes from the musical as well as the current events happening in this country. But that is a whole other topic to write about though; hopefully way into the future as a student of history reflecting on what the hell we just went through.
Anyway, I leave you with some lyrics from “Hamilton”-
Let me tell you what I wish I’d known
Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda (2015)
When I was young and dreamed of glory
You have no control
Who lives, who dies, who tells your story
I know that we can win
I know that greatness lies in you
But remember from here on in
History has its eyes on you
Hamilton can be seen on Broadway, on tour, and on Disney+.
You can find copies of David McCullough’s “1776” and “John Adams” on my Bookshop.org page. Please note I will receive financial compensation for any purchases made through this site.