16 Historical Events That Were Erased from Textbooks
Here's a look at 16 historical events that were deliberately erased or downplayed in textbooks despite their significant impact on history.
- Alyana Aguja
- 5 min read
History is often written by those in power, and many pivotal events have been omitted from school textbooks to preserve national myths or political agendas. From racial massacres in the United States to global uprisings and covert operations, these erased moments shaped societies in profound ways. Learning about them allows us to confront uncomfortable truths and better understand the complexities of the past.
1. The Tulsa Race Massacre (1921)
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In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a thriving Black community known as “Black Wall Street” was burned to the ground by white mobs. Thousands were left homeless, hundreds were killed, and survivors were displaced without justice. For decades, this tragedy was left out of school textbooks to downplay systemic racism.
2. The Philippine-American War (1899–1902)
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The conflict between the United States and Filipino revolutionaries after the Spanish-American War is rarely discussed in American classrooms. At least 200,000 Filipino civilians died due to violence, famine, and disease. U.S. textbooks long described it only as a “Philippine Insurrection,” erasing its scale and brutality.
3. The Partition of India (1947)
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When Britain ended its rule in South Asia, India and Pakistan were created, causing one of the largest mass migrations in history. Over a million people died in sectarian violence, and millions more were displaced. Many Western histories gloss over the human toll of this event.
4. The Red Summer (1919)
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After World War I, racial tensions exploded into violence across more than 30 U.S. cities. Black veterans and communities were targeted in brutal riots, often with police complicity. This period is rarely detailed in standard history education despite its impact on race relations.
5. The Battle of Blair Mountain (1921)
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In West Virginia, over 10,000 coal miners fought in the largest labor uprising in U.S. history. Armed miners clashed with strikebreakers, police, and even federal troops. Despite its significance for labor rights, the battle is barely mentioned in American history books.
6. The Coup in Iran (1953)
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The CIA and British intelligence orchestrated a coup to overthrow Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh after he nationalized Iran’s oil. This event reinstated the Shah, leading to decades of authoritarian rule. Textbooks often omit U.S. involvement in destabilizing Iran.
7. The Haitian Revolution (1791–1804)
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Enslaved Africans in Haiti defeated Napoleon’s forces, creating the first free Black republic. Western powers suppressed news of this revolution to prevent inspiring other enslaved populations. Many textbooks reduce it to a side note instead of highlighting its global importance.
8. The Trail of Tears (1830s)
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The forced removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands caused thousands of deaths due to starvation, disease, and exposure. While the Indian Removal Act is acknowledged, the true horror of the marches is often downplayed. Survivors’ voices were excluded from most early histories.
9. The Zoot Suit Riots (1943)
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In Los Angeles, white servicemen attacked young Mexican-Americans for their distinctive zoot suits, which were seen as unpatriotic during wartime fabric rationing. Police often arrested the victims instead of the attackers. These riots are rarely included in mainstream U.S. history lessons.
10. The Wilmington Coup (1898)
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In Wilmington, North Carolina, white supremacists violently overthrew a legitimately elected multiracial government. Dozens of Black residents were killed, and thousands were forced to flee. For years, this event was erased from local and national narratives.
11. The Cambodian Bombing Campaign (1969–1973)
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The United States secretly dropped more bombs on Cambodia than were dropped during all of World War II. The campaign destabilized the country and fueled the rise of the Khmer Rouge. Most American textbooks either omit it or provide only a vague reference to the Vietnam War era.
12. The Banana Massacre in Colombia (1928)
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Workers striking against the United Fruit Company were fired upon by the Colombian army. Hundreds were killed, and the event was suppressed in both Colombian and U.S. histories. Gabriel García Márquez later immortalized it in his novel One Hundred Years of Solitude.
13. The Ocoee Massacre (1920)
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In Ocoee, Florida, Black citizens who tried to vote were met with mob violence. Dozens were killed, homes were burned, and survivors fled permanently. This act of racial terror was hidden from Florida history for generations.
14. The Katyn Massacre (1940)
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The Soviet Union executed over 20,000 Polish officers, intellectuals, and elites during World War II. For decades, the USSR blamed Nazi Germany, and Western allies stayed silent to maintain diplomacy. It took years for textbooks to even acknowledge Soviet responsibility.
15. The Bataan Death March (1942)
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After U.S. and Filipino forces surrendered to Japan, tens of thousands of prisoners of war were forced to march under brutal conditions. Thousands died from starvation, beatings, and executions. While mentioned briefly in some histories, the personal suffering of Filipinos is often overshadowed.
16. The MOVE Bombing in Philadelphia (1985)
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Police dropped a bomb on a residential building occupied by the Black liberation group MOVE. The fire killed 11 people, including children, and destroyed an entire neighborhood. Despite happening in modern America, it is rarely included in school curricula.