Is history important?

Good morning, Sunday Morning Coffee readers from the hot and muggy DC metro area. We needed the rain, but I would have thought it might cool things off a bit. Boy. Was I wrong! I’ll take it, though. It’s a change, and I do like variation. Also, I’ve gone down this rabbit hole with my reading material this summer, and every book (which is set at least in part in DC, Maryland, and Virginia), mentions the hot, swampy DC summers, so it feels like 4D reading this morning.

About this rabbit hole…I’ve been obsessed with historical accounts about the Reconstruction period. First it was an 800 page biography of President Lincoln (which was also about Lincoln’s plan for Reconstruction), then it was a book about the manhunt to find John Wilkes Booth (which was also about how miserably Johnson managed Reconstruction or actually just did away with all of Lincoln’s plans), and now it’s 500 page book about the creation of the Klan during Reconstruction and how Grant, as president, tried to undo the damage done by Johnson and others and put a country back together while going to war with the KuKlux. It’s some heavy reading. And I don’t mean the word count.

The course I teach at GWU and many of the talks I give to organizations and at conferences are around criminal justice/prison reform. I always begin with a history of mass incarceration. How did we get here? If we read history (real history, not FB posts or present-day newscasts), it’s not hard to see how we got here. After the Civil War was fought and won on battlefields, it continued on in a way that can only be described as domestic terrorism for freed individuals and anyone who supported or aided them, in some states. In others, it continued in the form of believing in everyone’s right, no matter their race, to be free, but many of those same people didn’t think that ‘freedom’ meant ‘equality.’ From the first foot fall of anyone who was not native to these lands, people have been targeted because of their skin color, gender, political leanings, socio-economic status, level of education…you name it. Those same prejudices, or ones like them, also existed in our native communities as well. As a species, humans find ways to subjugate one another for a variety of reasons.

How does this affect the fact that we have 2.3 million people incarcerated in the US today? Well, most of those folks are people of color and people who live at or below the poverty line and who are lacking in educational attainment. We seem to have traded slavery as a legal state to legislation that continues to target people by race. During Reconstruction, these laws were called the Black Codes and convict leasing, then we had Jim Crow laws, now we have mandatory minimums (we’ve gotten smarter about not naming laws that target racial groups by their names, but a rose by any other name….) and a host of other laws that target people who live in underserved urban areas (who are largely people of color, and/or people living at or below poverty, and/or are lacking in educational attainment).

And we also legislation that is an attempt to get us on the right path, like the Constitution in general, which released us from the tyranny of a heavy-handed king, and its amendments like the 1st, 13th, 14th, 15th, and 19th, or the Civil Rights Act of 1964, or the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1975…

Sometimes we truly bungle things, and sometimes we get it right. Historically, some people have lead with evil intent, egotistical ignorance, or laconic ineptitude and some have lead with brave hearts, strategic intent for the greater good, and/or brilliance.

Nothing’s new under the sun.

As I’m reading historical tomes (and I gravitate toward books that are compilations of real documents, not simply a re-telling of events), I can’t help but draw parallels to events that I’ve experienced or witnessed in my lifetime. When we say that we never learn or that history repeats itself, what we’re really saying is that we, as a species, can’t change our ‘humanness',’ which is sometimes steady, sometimes mercurial, sometimes egocentric, sometimes allocentric, sometimes good, sometimes not. It’s the human condition. Since the beginning of time to today.

But if we don’t teach history, and I mean real history, not a re-telling of events with a self-serving or watered-down slant, without personal agenda, we most certainly are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past, or miss out on past strategies that got the results we want. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel, so they say. So many clichés here that are true. :)

As we consider history as a topic in educational settings, or to educate ourselves or our children or others, here’s what we get:

Understanding the Present: History provides context for current events. By studying past events, policies, and cultures, we can better understand the complexities of the present world.

Learning from Mistakes: History is a record of successes and failures. By examining historical mistakes, societies can avoid repeating them. This applies to everything from governance and policy to social issues.

Developing Critical Thinking: Studying history involves analyzing and interpreting data, understanding different perspectives, and evaluating sources. These skills are essential for critical thinking and informed decision-making.

Cultural Awareness: History teaches us about different cultures, beliefs, and traditions. This fosters empathy and appreciation for diversity, promoting social cohesion and reducing prejudice.

Building Identity: History helps individuals and communities understand their roots and heritage. This knowledge contributes to a sense of identity and belonging.

Inspiring Citizenship: Understanding the struggles and achievements of those who came before can inspire civic responsibility and participation. It highlights the importance of contributing to society and making informed choices.

Recognizing Change and Continuity: History shows how societies evolve and how certain elements remain constant. This perspective helps in understanding long-term trends and the factors that drive change.

Encouraging Inquiry and Curiosity: History ignites curiosity about the world and encourages lifelong learning. It prompts questions about human nature, societal development, and the forces shaping our world.

By teaching history, we equip ourselves and others with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate and contribute to an increasingly complex and interconnected world. it’s crucial to understand where we’ve come from and where we want to go.

I’m going to get back to my book now, with coffee in hand, and the porch fan doing its best to send some cool vibes my way. I’m not an expert historian, but if you ever ned someone to talk about mass incarceration, how it came to be, and what’s being done to perpetuate it, I can do that for you. If you have an interest in history, or better yet, you ARE an expert historian, feel free to contact me. I’d love to chat, and I’m always up for learning more.

Tallyho friends! May your upcoming week be full of purpose and joy.