Examining History

In recent years, the traditional story of Thanksgiving has been troubled. How accurate is the story we tell, anyway? Why has it been acceptable for so long for kids to dress up in heavily stereotyped versions of indigenous clothing? Most important, perhaps, where are the Native American voices in the tale? Why don’t our history books focus more on the Native perspective? Today Jenny Pulsipher, an associate professor of history at BYU who specializes in early American and American Indian history, joins us to answer these questions, and to help us figure out the best way to responsibly learn and teach American history. Her most recent book is Swindler Sachem: The American Indian Who Sold His Birthright, Dropped Out of Harvard, and Conned the King of England.