American History Textbooks Through Multicultural Perspectives

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the representation of diverse cultures in a current and past American history textbook used in one of the largest school districts in the Inland Empire, a recognized suburban area in Southern California. The aim was to determine if the current textbooks better align with California’s Education Code Section 51204.5. The Code mandates that the contributions of underrepresented groups be highlighted in the school curriculum, specifically their economic, political, and social impact, as well as their roles in contemporary society. An analysis was conducted on each textbook to assess whether the current version represents an improvement over its previous editions. Educational researchers suggest that American K-12 history textbooks omit or misrepresent the heritage, contributions, and accomplishments of marginalized people and people of color. This may be one of the reasons why many students feel culturally invalidated and experience a sense of not belonging in K-12 schools. This study examined a current American history textbook and its previous editions, used in one of the largest school districts in Southern California, to determine whether they omitted or misrepresented the contributions of marginalized populations. Comparisons were undertaken to determine if the current version of this American history textbook has improved in incorporating the historical narratives of marginalized people and people of color. Changing the history curriculum to include the voices of marginalized populations has the potential to improve the sense of belonging for students who are marginalized or people of color.