Rediscovering History: What My Education Left Out

By Ashna Mitta,

C4J Intern 

Ashna Mitta

I remember what it was like to be in my first real middle school history class growing up in the Massachusetts suburbs. The curriculum undoubtedly skipped over significant parts of history—skimming right past countless influential African Americans—and instead handed an entire chapter to the same three figures: Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr., and Rosa Parks.

Don’t get me wrong—these three icons are beyond important. But throughout middle school and high school, I kept hearing their names on repeat, while also constantly being introduced to new white historical figures. It became clear: if students in the United States want to really understand African American history, they have to go find it themselves. That means digging into library books, reading articles, and maybe, if they’re lucky, taking African American studies courses once they reach college.

I also remember celebrating Constitution Day, September 17, as this big ode to democracy. But what we weren’t taught was the full story. Those “celebrations” rarely acknowledged the long, painful fight for minority rights in America. The Constitution originally referred to enslaved people as “other persons.” Women couldn’t vote until the 19th Amendment. Native Americans were excluded altogether, described dismissively as “Indians not taxed.” And yet, there I was as a teenager, told to celebrate it all as though it had always been this shining beacon of equality.

But here’s what gives me hope: today, more and more educators are stepping up. They’re fighting to reshape what Constitution Day looks like in the classroom. Instead of just handing out pocket Constitutions and calling it a day, they’re encouraging students to ask critical questions, to learn their rights, and to understand how those rights have been expanded—and still need to be fought for.

Fast Forward to college: I stumbled into my very first African American literature class—Women’s African American History. And wow. It was absolutely fantastic. This class genuinely made me fall back in love with history. Now, let me pause here: I am a die-hard business major. Most of my academic life revolved around marketing, finance, econ, accounting, business law—literally all the business-y departments you can imagine. But this class? It was different. Every week, in this little campus building filled with African American books and scripture, we read another powerful text about

Black struggles and triumphs. It felt honest. It felt refreshing. For the first time in a while, I wasn’t just learning—I was being challenged to think. And outside of class, I even started watching shows like Black-ish, which I now highly recommend to anyone who wants history served up with humor, culture, and a much-needed dose of realness.

That semester changed me. It showed me that there are educators willing to step outside the system, to be genuine, to tell the stories that actually matter. And it gave me hope. Because here’s the thing: there’s still a lot of work to be done. Too often, the stories of influential African Americans are shoved into a single paragraph in a textbook or a rushed unit in the curriculum. But, history deserves more than that. Students deserve more than that.

If we want to change the education system, we have to start early—teaching kids the roots of our society and how privilege works. We need to show them not just the what of history, but the why—and how they can make a difference moving forward. It begins with education. It begins with honesty. And hopefully, one day, it will begin in the classroom—without students having to wait until college to finally fall in love with learning again.

If seeking resources, Dr. Bernadine Ahonkhai has authored an insightful book on African American history, shedding light on lesser-known and often overlooked narratives. The book can be accessed here.