Asian American Representation in US History Textbooks

Abstract

The US history curriculum is an indispensable part of American education and taught throughout all high schools. Though educational resources have diversified over the years, the most important tool used to inform the curriculum remains to be the textbook. Debates about the content and administration of the US history curriculum and textbook have been continuing for decades; a particularly popular debate is the portrayal of minorities within US history textbooks. Though the deficiency of representation is well documented within Native Americans, African Americans, and Hispanic Americans history, the representation of Asian Americans is severely lacking. Our paper will examine two US history textbooks, both used widely across the country in public school curriculums, and identify the patterns of Asian American representation. Our results show that Asian American representation is quite limited and passive. Accomplishments are stated vaguely, and important historical Asian American figures are completely absent. Textbook authors and history teachers throughout the US should recognize these limitations and work to reform the curriculum to create a more inclusive US history class.