Teaching White Supremacy: America’s Democratic Ordeal and the Forging of Our National Identity by Donald Yacovone (Hardcover)

A groundbreaking piece of historical scholarship, Teaching White Supremacy provides a meticulous examination of how K–12 and college history textbooks systematically shaped American national identity and reinforced racial hierarchies from the 1830s through the modern era. Written by acclaimed author and Harvard associate Donald Yacovone, this work uncovers how educational systems, particularly across Northern publishing hubs, institutionalized ideas of white supremacy in everyday learning.

Why It Belongs in Our Library

Understanding Institutional Systems: Serves as a crucial case study in how narratives, curricula, and institutional messaging shape long term social and corporate structures.

Masterclass in Historical Research: Demonstrates how primary documentation and archival analysis reveal the foundational roots of modern political, legal, and cultural debates.

Essential Social Leadership Reading: Provides indispensable context for leaders, scholars, and executives seeking to understand the deep seated history behind current debates over memory, education, and institutional policy.

A Note from Our Founder

“As a Native American woman of color, I carry this book in our library because truth is foundational to healing. For centuries, distorted narratives have been used to categorize, simplify, and divide us. Donald Yacovone’s research reminds us of where those divides were manufactured, not so we remain trapped in the past, but so we can acknowledge history, reclaim our truths, and move forward together. This work honors every story that was left out of the history books and serves as a reminder that understanding our shared past is how we build a brighter, unified future.”

About the Author

Donald Yacovone is a renowned historian and an associate at Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African & African American Research. He is the author and editor of numerous landmark historical works and co recipient, alongside Henry Louis Gates, Jr., of an NAACP Image Award for The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross.

Condition: Brand New / Unread (Imperfections to Page Block)

Condition Details: This copy is brand new and unread, but exhibits noticeable physical swelling and thickening along the page block due to environmental moisture and storage expansion. The hardcover binding, spine, jacket, and interior pages remain completely clean, structural, and fully legible. Offered at a 40%+ discount to account for this cosmetic imperfection.

Product Details

Author: Donald Yacovone
Publisher: Pantheon Books
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 464 pages
Genre: History / Education / Social Science / Political Scholarship