In this week’s podcast, we learned about the real meaning of history, and why it isn’t just dates and people. History is so largely important to the humanities because it drives much of the research that’s done in each discipline. Specifically, historiographers study the history of history, including why things were recorded the way they were, who recorded these events and how they could affect a broader scope of history. After listening to the podcast, I believe that students should be taught about both history and historiography. So many of us are stuck in the quintessential historic narrative taught in school, but studying historiography may help us to understand that what we understand to be true is not the full story. There’s always more to learn when it comes to history, and Hayter’s article illustrates that.
In the Hayter reading, he reveals striking differences in how history is taught and history really unfolds. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 took the efforts of nationally recognized organizations and well-known individuals, but what history fails to include is the story of local, everyday people. The Crusade, for instance, played a huge role in giving Black residents the chance to vote, but I had never heard of that group before this reading. I also never learned about the annexation of Chesterfield County and that’s literally where I went to school (although not in the majority-white region). It’s absolutely crazy to me that my history teachers glossed over these important facts, but after this reading and podcast, I understand that, unfortunately, it’s the norm. There are very few institutions that promote an environment where individuals can become fully well-versed in any aspect of history — mainly because nobody knows it.
I feel as though only higher educational institutions teach students how to re-interpret history. And even then, this observation depends on which type of institution you attend. It makes me wonder systems are in place that are seemingly trying to protect K-12 students from learning how to re-interpret history.
I was really interested in what your perspective on this was as someone who grew up in Richmond, and particularly Chesterfield. I’m also local, so I had heard from my mom while I was growing up about the annexation of Chesterfield, but I had never learned about it in school nor fully understood the significance of this decision. Hayter’s article really helped clarify the why and how of the decision, as well as who had a stake in the outcome.
That is hard to believe that as someone who grew up in the county we read about, you were reading that information at the same time! Those gaps in our education that don’t allow us to truly learn about the community that surrounds us frustrates me so much. The only reason I learned about certain issues directly impacting my community, like red lining, was because I had one teacher that had the ability and the freedom to add it to her content because she saw the importance in it. Learning about those “invisible leaders” and close events is really special in studying history as a student and I wish we had more of it.