A Message of Support

Hello teachers. I’m reaching out today as a fellow educator and historian, and as Executive Director of the National Council for History Education, to affirm your professionalism and the importance of your role as history educators. 

As you know, history is not the past – it’s the study of the past. We, and our students, make sense of individuals, groups, and events by studying primary sources and the work of scholars. We, and our students, understand that the documents we study reveal conflicting accounts or perspectives, which is why we know it’s critical to examine multiple sources and ask thoughtful questions. We, and our students, know that studying the past of our country can be messy.

History is not a beautifully patterned tea cup, delicate and breakable and only for show. It’s not for us to admire from a distance. History is about real human beings, who were complicated products of their time and were also heavily influenced by decisions made by those in their own past. As much as we want to be acknowledged as full human beings and honored as individuals with beliefs and experiences, the people of the past deserve that courtesy, too. We’re complex, they’re complex; we make good and bad decisions, and so did they. 

We live in this shared place with a shared history, but people experienced the events of the past differently, depending on where, when, and to whom they were born. We certainly don’t want our understanding of the present to get lost – we want to be seen and heard. As educators, we apply that lens to our teaching of history – whose stories are getting lost and how can we remedy that? Whose stories add depth and nuance? Whose stories help us illuminate the value of all Americans? Whose stories comfort us, as humans who aspire to be better than we started but who make mistakes and need to learn from them? 

NCHE will remain a place of support for you as you seek to teach accurate, inclusive, complex histories. Our mission is to champion history education and uplift history education professionals, which means that we believe in you and your expertise. NCHE will continue to provide access to primary sources, historical scholars, and a community of fellow educators. We stand by you and your commitment to sharing the complicated American story.

You know your students and your particular teaching situation best. Consider us your support team as you navigate the impact of decision makers on your classroom; we hold fast to the truth that all students need to see themselves in the past and that all teachers are professionals, and we want to ensure that you hear that message, loud and clear. As Executive Director of this organization, I commit to leading with love and to uncompromising belief in the value of history education and educators.

As always, sending love and historical solidarity.

Jessica Ellison

Image: Gotfryd, B., photographer. (1968) Teacher’s rally, N.Y.C. New York United States New York State, 1968. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2020737248/.