On Learning and Re-Learning American History: A Reading List

When a student gets an assignment for a family tree but she can only trace back three generations, her grandma tells her about how her ancestors were stolen 400 years ago and brought to America by white slave traders. This beautifully written picture book talks about slavery, but it also discusses resistance that is alive today and highlights survival and the legacies that remain today.

This book introduces readers to 16 pioneering Asian Americans who broke stereotypes, achieved breakthroughs, excelled in their fields, or inspire others. Individuals include David Ho, Grace Lin, Maya Lin, Ellison Onizuka, and more.

This gorgeously illustrated book not only introduces 50 American Indigenous, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian individuals, but also has primers on issues like cultural appropriation, colonialism, land and water rights, and food sovereignty. Individuals highlighted include Wilma Mankiller, Maria Tallchief, Janet Mock, and Kyrie Irving.

Harriet Tubman was not always known as Harriet. In this lyrical story, we read about her various names — Moses, Minty, Araminta. The writing is beautiful and poetic, but accessible even for young children. The prose is paired with rich watercolor illustrations, and there’s even a resource guide in the back for further reading.

This is a companion book to We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga, and addresses topics like forced assimilation like boarding schools, Native civil rights, nationhood, Native language revival work, and the U.S. government not recognizing tribes as nations, among other issues. There’s a timeline and glossary, and these issues are written about in a straightforward, clear way.

The What Is/Who Is series is fantastic, and a great introduction to various people, places, events, and organizations. This book tells the story of the Black Lives Matter organization, what events spurred the movement, and the nonviolent civil disobedience and protesting against police brutality that it promotes. It’s accessible for young kids, and is a good springboard for discussion.

This young reader edition of the adult book provides answers to all the questions that both Native and non-Native people might have — from issues like cultural appropriation to questions about fry bread, and everything in-between. It addresses terminology, history, language, politics, social justice issues, and more. It may say young reader edition, but this book is great even for adults.

This graphic memoir tells Takei’s story of being imprisoned in an American internment camp during World War II. He shares what it was like, the terror felt in the camp, the choices people had to make, and the effects it had. It’s a compelling, thought-provoking book that’s a must-read addition to WWII literature.

It was hard to choose just one of these books, so really, I recommend them all. (They also have some editions for young readers, which are also great). The books in this series are by a variety of authors and experts, and each one is wonderful. They illustrate how multi-faceted history is and provide new lenses from which to view it. A Disability History of the United States, A Queer History of the United States, A Black Women’s History of the United States, and An African American and Latinx History of the United States are just a few of the titles in this series.

This is a great place to start, too — and there’s also a version for young readers. Takaki’s book illustrates just how rich American history is, through stories of non-Anglo people of the U.S. — Native Americans, African Americans, Jews, Mexican Americans, Irish Americans, and more. He delves into various issues with different communities and details of American history you might not have learned. It’s an invaluable addition to every history book list.

The New York Times’s 1619 Project, created by Hannah-Jones, was a work of journalism like no other. Essays, poems, stories, and archival photos — all exploring the history of slavery, oppression, and also resistance, and how that shows up today. This doesn’t just discuss history; it is also commentary on our present day. Contributors include Camille T. Dungy, Jasmine Mans, Danez Smith, Natasha Trethewey, and Yaa Gyasi.

Lee writes about generations of Asian immigrants and their descendants in America, and how their lives have evolved over the decades to change what Asian American life looks like. Along with history that includes Asian immigration to America and the events of WWII, she looks at the “model minority” myth as well as Asian hate — while also writing about community activism. It’s a detailed look at a variety of events and stories that have largely been ignored by many.