In researching and developing a curriculum about African American and Latinx histories, there are a score of dominant narratives that rise to the surface. Many residents of the U.S. have been socialized into believing these narratives, when in fact they are incomplete and inaccurate versions of history. As teachers, it is particularly important for us to be aware of these dominant narratives, to name them, and to research beyond them. As educators, we have the power to reproduce these narratives, consciously or unconsciously, or to resist and replace them with accurate and more complete histories. Making explicit these dominant and counter narratives for our students is important in helping them understand not only the history, but also the ways in which history is constructed, and the fact that historians are not neutral.
