Black Washing History: The Ill Consequences of a MAGA led classroom

• In Event: Black History, American History and Miseducation

Abstract

Accompanied with the anticipation of the movie Gladiator II came criticism of blackwashing history from the online community that held issues with who was portraying the character Macrinus; Denzel Washington. These particular criticisms of blackwashing history through media have increased in recent years with releases such as Netflix Queen Cleopatra and The History Channel production; Barbarians: Hannibal: A Campaign of Vengeance. Such criticisms extend outside of the world of media where recently, Dutch archeologists of the Saqqara Necropolis have been banned by the Egyptian government over claims that the Dutch museum was “falsifying” history for hosting an exhibit called Kemet: Egypt in hip hop, Jazz, Soul & Funk at The National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden.

Are these honest academic concerns aimed at preserving the truth through primary sources or a continuance of systemic institutional racism upheld by the likes of Dr. James Breasted? These concerns are growing in conjunction with the current American political direction of Project 2025 upheld by American conservatives such as President Donald J. Trump who has voiced support for the discontinuation of the federal Department of Education and the banning of any curricular that resembles the teachings of Critical Race Theory. Black Washing History: The Ill Consequences of a MAGA led Classroom is a presentation discussing and displaying the ill consequences of our nation's recent presidential choice and its impact on our k-12 schools-systems ability to teach American and world history properly.

Author

• Jaiyvohn Davis, East High School