Myth America

Myth America: Historians Take On the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past is a 2023 collection of essays authored by 20 prominent historians and scholars who critically examine widespread misconceptions regarding American history and current affairs. This volume, published by Basic Books, is compiled and edited by Kevin M. Kruse and Julian E. Zelizer, both affiliated with Princeton University.

The work scrutinizes narratives frequently advanced by conservative media concerning crucial subjects such as the founding of America, the Confederate rebellion, the New Deal, the Civil Rights Movement, the Reagan era transformation, and claims of voting fraud in the early 2020s. Additionally, essays explore various social and political matters including immigration, feminism, capitalism, socialism in America, and police misconduct.

Contents

The volume begins with a preface from editors Kevin Kruse and Julian E. Zelizer, followed by contributions from leading experts in American history:

1. American Exceptionalism — by David A. Bell
2. Myths of the Founding — by Akhil Reed Amar
3. Disappearing Native Americans — by Ari Kelman
4. Immigration — by Erika Lee
5. America First Policy — by Sarah Churchwell
6. United States as an Empire — by Daniel Immerwahr
7. Border Issues — by Geraldo Cadava
8. Socialism in America — by Michael Kazin
9. Market Dynamics — by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway
10. The Era of the New Deal — by Eric Rauchway
11. Monuments to the Confederacy — by Karen L. Cox
12. The Strategy of the South — by Kevin Kruse
13. The Positive Impact of Protests — by Glenda Gilmore
14. White Resistance — by Lawrence B. Glickman
15. The Great Society Program — by Joshua Zeitz
16. Police Misconduct — by Elizabeth Hinton
17. The Capitol Insurrection on January 6 — by Kathleen Belew
18. Feminism Focused on Family Values — by Natalia Mehlman Petrzela
19. The Reagan Transformation — by Julian E. Zelizer
20. Claims of Voter Fraud — by Carol Anderson

External links

"Was James Madison Truly Father of the Constitution?", presentation by Akhil Reed Amar, available on YouTube, 2022