--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They don't really focus on that history…" description: "\"They don't really focus on that history here in America. I remember growing up as a kid, history class was very washed-over. They didn't really get int..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/aldis-hodge-8186_america_they-don-t-really-focus-on-that-history_17054.jpg" --- # They don't really focus on that history here in America. I… ![“They don't really focus on that history here in America. I remember growing up as a kid, history class was very washed-over. They didn't really get into the gritty bits of slavery. It's a very, very small section in the history books. It's not something they really touch on directly with American…” quote by Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/aldis-hodge-8186_america_they-don-t-really-focus-on-that-history_17054.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/aldis-hodge-8186_america_they-don-t-really-focus-on-that-history_17054.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/aldis-hodge-8186_america_they-don-t-really-focus-on-that-history_17054.jpg) > “They don't really focus on that history here in America. I remember growing up as a kid, history class was very washed-over. They didn't really get into the gritty bits of slavery. It's a very, very small section in the history books. It's not something they really touch on directly with American curriculums.” [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker critiques American education for marginalizing the harsh realities of slavery, presenting a sanitized version of history that omits critical details. **In simple terms:** American curricula downplays slavery. Key Takeaway Historical narratives are often incomplete. Themes Education History Racism Curriculum Design Cultural Memory Mood Reflective Critical Type Observational Social Commentary When to use this quote - Teaching US history - Curriculum development - Social justice education Key Concepts Historical Erasure Narrative Bias Practical Applications - Designing inclusive textbooks - Creating comprehensive lesson plans Questions to Reflect On - How does selective teaching shape societal attitudes? - What responsibilities do educators have in presenting full history? A Different Perspective Some argue that focusing on traumatic past may hinder social cohesion, but omission perpetuates ignorance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Curriculum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curriculum/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-books/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) ## Related quotes > [I remember, growing up as a kid, history class was very washed-over. They didn't really get into the gritty bits of slavery. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/i-remember-growing-up-as-a-kid-history-class-was-very-washed-over/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [There's a really great documentary called 'Many Rivers,' which documents the totality of slavery from its inception, and then it gives you a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/there-s-a-really-great-documentary-called-many-rivers-which-documents/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [I walk out into a nature such as the old prophets and poets Menu, Moses, Homer, Chaucer, walked in. You may name it America,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-walk-out-into-a-nature-such-as-the-old-prophets-and-poets-menu/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Our history, America’s history, has been so heavily edited. In history classes, we don’t really go into full discussions about the past. People, struggles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-gray/our-history-america-s-history-has-been-so-heavily-edited-in-history/) [Janelle Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-gray/) > [But the whole history of America is quite different from Europe. People went there to get away from the intolerance and constraints of life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/but-the-whole-history-of-america-is-quite-different-from-europe/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [The Marshall Plan will go down in history as one of America's greatest contributions to the peace of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/the-marshall-plan-will-go-down-in-history-as-one-of-america-s/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [History of America, Part I (1776-1966): Declaration of Independence, Constitutional Convention, Louisiana Purchase, Civil War, Reconstruction, World War I, Great Depression, New Deal, World…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-chad/history-of-america-part-i-1776-1966-declaration-of-independence/) [Norman Chad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-chad/) > [This is not a museum of tragedy. It is not the museum of difficult moments. It is the museum that says -here is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lonnie-bunch/this-is-not-a-museum-of-tragedy-it-is-not-the-museum-of-difficult/) Lonnie Bunch > [I love and revere the rich and proud history of America. And I am determined to take our best traditions into the future. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/i-love-and-revere-the-rich-and-proud-history-of-america-and-i-am/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Europe will never be like America. Europe is a product of history. America is a product of philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/europe-will-never-be-like-america-europe-is-a-product-of-history/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Well, let's see. There's -- of course -- in the great history of America rulings there have been rulings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-palin/well-let-s-see-there-s-of-course-in-the-great-history-of-america/) [Sarah Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-palin/) > [The history of America is to expand civil liberties in a responsible and civil manner. We need to remember that our wonderful Democracy with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcgreevey/the-history-of-america-is-to-expand-civil-liberties-in-a-responsible/) [James McGreevey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcgreevey/) > [By the way, Howard Zinn's History of America is front and center at the gift shop of the New York Historical Society. The New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/by-the-way-howard-zinn-s-history-of-america-is-front-and-center-at/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Very much like African-Americans, the history of America is taking away resources, whether it's labor or whether it's land from one racial group to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-williams-jr/very-much-like-african-americans-the-history-of-america-is-taking/) [Robert A. Williams, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-williams-jr/) > [Europe was created by history. America was created by philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/europe-was-created-by-history-america-was-created-by-philosophy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) ## More by Aldis Hodge > [With any good projects, I feel like the off-screen chemistry factors on-screen. It's great when you don't have to force it, but when it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/with-any-good-projects-i-feel-like-the-off-screen-chemistry-factors/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [The time frame and how people treated each other was upsetting, but what's great about this story is that they really focus on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/the-time-frame-and-how-people-treated-each-other-was-upsetting-but/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [I came out of the womb drawing on everything; I used to draw on my mother's white furniture and her white walls with her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/i-came-out-of-the-womb-drawing-on-everything-i-used-to-draw-on-my/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [My mom experienced racism. She was harassed by the KKK several times. And I experienced racism myself, growing up. In New Jersey, we had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/my-mom-experienced-racism-she-was-harassed-by-the-kkk-several-times/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [You get into these executive offices, and people say, 'Oh, we have this project. Wait a minute, guys, we need diversity - let's choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/you-get-into-these-executive-offices-and-people-say-oh-we-have-this/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [The danger in having modern music tied to a period piece is that hearing something may take you out of the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/the-danger-in-having-modern-music-tied-to-a-period-piece-is-that/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [You don't ever want to seem less than a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/you-don-t-ever-want-to-seem-less-than-a-person/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [You have a plantation where you have 10 white people and you have about 50 or 60 black people. The automatic thought was, 'Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/you-have-a-plantation-where-you-have-10-white-people-and-you-have/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > ['Die Hard' was a really awesome experience, but I was too young to understand what a big film it was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/die-hard-was-a-really-awesome-experience-but-i-was-too-young-to/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [A new setting is amazing cause it's new for the team, and it's new for our characters. It's a breakaway from the normal deal.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/a-new-setting-is-amazing-cause-it-s-new-for-the-team-and-it-s-new-for/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [Most people say they're slaves, but in my opinion, to say that I am a slave is to take ownership of actually being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/most-people-say-they-re-slaves-but-in-my-opinion-to-say-that-i-am-a/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [Some of my job consists of me drafting and making technical drawings. So everything I did back then has materialized into something substantial for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/some-of-my-job-consists-of-me-drafting-and-making-technical-drawings/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [I want to have a resume that is substantial enough to hold itself as respectful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/i-want-to-have-a-resume-that-is-substantial-enough-to-hold-itself-as/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [I love my job, simply because we can keep things fresh, all the time. That's a luxury not all shows have. For us, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/i-love-my-job-simply-because-we-can-keep-things-fresh-all-the-time/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [Sometimes survival seems like submitting. And that's really hard on the spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/sometimes-survival-seems-like-submitting-and-that-s-really-hard-on/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) [Explore all 83 Aldis Hodge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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