History cannot be erased nor eradicated, even when it's hidden

E.E. Cummings

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Submitted photo

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When we study history, we learn how we got to where we are now, and why we live the way we do. It’s the study of us, of our place in an ever-changing world. Without it, we wouldn't understand all of our triumphs and failures, and we would continually repeat patterns without building forward to something better.”

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Can someone please explain to me why the current administration feels the need to erase, hide, dispose of historical events and contributions made by persons of color? Can someone please explain why this is necessary and why they would think this would erase or eradicate what has happened before?

What will it take to pull us out of the madness? America isn’t just a place on the map. The Statue of Liberty — meant to be a beacon to welcome immigrants and to remind us that we are a nation of immigrants including persons of color — would never have been conceived or built if its principal French and American advocates had not been active abolitionists who understood slavery as the cause of the Civil War and its end as the realization of the promise of liberty for all as codified in the Declaration of Independence.

Her torch was added to represent progress, giving the statue a more peaceful appearance rather than invoking her severe expression. The calm demeanor of her face represents the long and difficult journey to freedom from violence. Around her head, the crown’s seven rays form a halo representing the sun, the seven seas and the seven continents. It also evokes the official title of the statue, “Liberty Enlightening the World.”

The Statue of Liberty’s broken chains and shackles at her feet are a symbol of liberty breaking free from bondage, specifically the end of slavery in America. While the statue is often seen as representing a welcome for immigrants, it also was designed to commemorate the abolition of slavery and the end of the Civil War.

She is a symbol of freedom and inspiration. Poet Emma Lazarus’s sonnet, “The New Colossus,” which includes lines like “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” is inscribed on a bronze plaque on the statue’s pedestal.

The sonnet’s final line, “I lift my lamp beside the golden door,” signifies the Statue of Liberty as a beacon of hope and welcome for immigrants arriving in the United States. The “golden door” refers to the opportunity and freedom that America offers.

Without full historical knowledge, Americans may misunderstand current issues and social conflicts. When contributions from marginalized groups are erased, it justifies their continued marginalization and reinforces inequality.

History is the description of how the world got to be what it is today, and that is learned through facts about the past. If there is an attempt to change history, we are doing a disservice to the children who will grow up knowing nothing about how we came to be. Learning from our past helps us continue to improve our environment, making it more diverse and inclusive.

Studying the diversity of human experience enables us to appreciate cultures, ideas and traditions that are not our own. It helps us recognize them as meaningful. When we study history, we learn how we got to where we are now, and why we live the way we do. It’s the study of us, of our place in an ever-changing world. Without it, we wouldn't understand all of our triumphs and failures, and we would continually repeat patterns without building forward to something better.

The current administration appears to be hiding, erasing and disposing of historical events and contributions made specifically by people of color, as well as immigrants. I hope history shows Americans continuing to strive to hire more professors of color, provide more scholarships for minority students and work on a more comprehensive curriculum.

It’s important to recognize and remember the past. But at the same time, we must push forward to improve our collective future. As society changes and matures, so must we. The Preamble — the very beginning of our Constitution — includes the words, “in order to form a more perfect union,” meaning we are a country working to continually strive to improve the lives of every American.

Editor’s note: Women’s Watch is a cooperative writing effort of the local chapters of the American Association of University Women, the League of Women Voters and the National Organization for Women. This piece was authored by E.E. Cummings. Please send your comments to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.