James Loewen

James Loewen

James Loewen got fame from his first book 'Lies My Teacher Told Me' by selling more than 1,250,000 and its till continues to inspire more than teachers and students.

He has taught race relations for the past 20 years in Vermont University. Before that he used to teach in College of Tougaloo situated in Mississippi. James resides in Washington D.C. he still is researching on the views the Americans possess about their past. He wrote another book 'Lies across America' in 1999. His book 'Sundown Town' was marked as one of the distinguished book of 2005 by Gustavus Myers. The book states the past events of towns of sundown, the towns where mostly minorities, Jews and black people reside (or strongly encouraged) to depart before to sundown for the purpose to stop ethnic cruelty endangered and perpetrated by mass white populations (Sheffler, 2004, 1).

His co-authored book named Mississippi: Conflict and Change in 1974 achieved Lillian Smith Award as Best Southern Nonfiction (1975). This book was not selected as a public textbook by Mississippi Textbook Purchasing Board. He sued the case in court making a way for First Amendment lawsuit as Loewen vs Turnipseed in 1980. It is considered as one of the basics of our right to interpret liberally by The American Library Association. The reason for rejection given was mentioned as divisive and emphasized fully spotlight on ethnic matters. The U.S. District Court judged by Judge Orma R. Smith lined that the denial of the text was not plotted on "reasonable basis", and that the writers were deprived of their authority to free dialogue and media.

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong

James Loewen used one to two years at the Smithsonian Institute giving detailed review of twelve principal high school course books of American History. He found an awkward merge of weak confidence, unsighted patriotism, and propaganda clean and straightforward. He summarized that none of the book does an honest job of creating neither history attractive, unforgettable nor does any single textbook offer precise documents (Loewen, 2010, 1).

In response, he as an author wrote Lies My Teacher Told Me in 1995, in element an important analysis of obtainable books magnificent detailed analysis of American history as it should be presented to US students. Opening with the time before existence of Colombia and reviewing the important roles and proceedings as varied as renovation, Helen Keller, the first blessing, and the My Lai slaughter, Loewen provides the argument, nervousness, uncertain play, and tie with present issues so awfully lost from course book account. He stated that the past should not be presented as simple details and calendar to remember, but rather investigation of the circumstance and basic reason of proceedings. Loewen recommended that one who is teaching should use one to two course books, so that learners may grasp the arguments and raise queries. Lies my Teacher Told Me is the conqueror of the 1996 American Book Award and the Oliver Cromwell Cox Award ...