When Teaching History‘s Lessons Became “Playing Politics”: Public History’s New War Against Heritage
“Telling people what lesson to take from history?
Jul 23 • 
Tad Stoermer
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Tad Stoermer
Tad Stoermer
When Teaching History‘s Lessons Became “Playing Politics”: Public History’s New War Against Heritage
Stephen Colbert Isn’t the Crisis. Public Media Is.
What resistance history teaches us about distraction, infrastructure, and the stakes of losing PBS.
Jul 21 • 
Tad Stoermer
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Tad Stoermer
Tad Stoermer
Stephen Colbert Isn’t the Crisis. Public Media Is.
2
Stop Quoting 3.5%. That’s Not Resistance.
What mass movements don’t do, what real resistance does, and why magical thinking won’t stop authoritarian power.
Jul 18 • 
Tad Stoermer
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Tad Stoermer
Tad Stoermer
Stop Quoting 3.5%. That’s Not Resistance.
2
“If You Desert Us, You Most Certainly Will Suffer”: The Original Use of ‘American’ to Terrorize
Two Patriot newspaper editorials from 1775 show how quickly “American” became a violent identity—one defined by threats, hierarchy, and racial control.
Jul 16 • 
Tad Stoermer
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Tad Stoermer
Tad Stoermer
“If You Desert Us, You Most Certainly Will Suffer”: The Original Use of ‘American’ to Terrorize
Resistance Doesn’t Wait: What the Democratic Party Still Don’t Understand
The Democratic Party’s silence isn’t confusing—it’s the lesson.
Jul 15 • 
Tad Stoermer
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Tad Stoermer
Resistance Doesn’t Wait: What the Democratic Party Still Don’t Understand
3
2:22
Project 2029 Isn’t Resistance: Lessons from History in a Democracy Emergency
The Democratic Party stíll has no plan to defend democracy—but let’s discuss what a real plan has looked like and what an opposition plan should look…
Jul 14 • 
Tad Stoermer
39

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Tad Stoermer
Tad Stoermer
Project 2029 Isn’t Resistance: Lessons from History in a Democracy Emergency
5
The Problem with Ken Burns Isn’t Just the History
Ken Burns built a career telling sentimental stories that helped shape white American memory. Now, as his Revolution series nears release, I was asked…
Jul 11 • 
Tad Stoermer
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Tad Stoermer
Tad Stoermer
The Problem with Ken Burns Isn’t Just the History
1
Vance’s Heritage Citizenship: The Past as Blueprint, Not Prologue
How the far right is using the Constitution of the First Republic to end multiracial democracy.
Jul 10 • 
Tad Stoermer
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Tad Stoermer
Vance’s Heritage Citizenship: The Past as Blueprint, Not Prologue
Frederick Douglass’s Double-Edged Sword: The Language He Shouldn’t Have Had to Use
“What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” and the coercive language of American exceptionalism.
Jul 6 • 
Tad Stoermer
11

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Tad Stoermer
Frederick Douglass’s Double-Edged Sword: The Language He Shouldn’t Have Had to Use
3
This Independence Day, Think About America’s Real Founding Creed
The lesson of July 4th isn’t freedom. It’s who gets to have it, who gets to determine it—and who gets disappeared so others can feel patriotic.
Jul 4 • 
Tad Stoermer
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Tad Stoermer
Tad Stoermer
This Independence Day, Think About America’s Real Founding Creed
3
Why Today’s Authoritarians Don’t Need a Reichstag Fire
In February 1933, just four weeks after Hitler was appointed Chancellor, the Reichstag went up in flames.
Jul 3 • 
Tad Stoermer
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Tad Stoermer
Why Today’s Authoritarians Don’t Need a Reichstag Fire
Stop Trying to Save America’s Myths — They Are Killing Us
Democrats — and too many historians in their circles — need to wake up about the power of storytelling.
Jul 3 • 
Tad Stoermer
41

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Tad Stoermer
Stop Trying to Save America’s Myths — They Are Killing Us
1
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