In recent years, American history has become one of the most contested subjects in education. Some narratives paint the nation’s past as nothing but oppression. Others avoid difficult topics altogether.
But what if the real story of America is more complicated—and more hopeful—than either extreme suggests?
On a recent episode of the Anchored Podcast, Jeremy Wayne Tate spoke with Andrew Zwerneman about the ambitious History250 Project, an initiative designed to restore the teaching of American history to students, educators, and communities across the country.
A “Warts-and-All” Approach to American History
Zwerneman explains that many teachers feel uneasy teaching American history because of its hard truths—slavery, Native American displacement, Japanese internment—and the rise of what he calls an “increasingly woke environment.”
“People start to get rocked about that,” he says. “But we’re not gonna sit down for that. I have too many teachers, too many students who are relying on us to do something substantive to help renew education.”
History250 confronts these challenges honestly and fully, presenting a history that is both messy and inspiring, reflecting the human condition in all its complexity. It is not a “warts-only” story—but a warts-and-all story.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
The Vision: 250 Films, Primary Sources, and Classroom Tools
The History250 Project aims to produce 250 short films covering the American story from the colonial period through today. Each film is paired with maps and original documents, historical artifacts and images, eyewitness accounts, and analysis written in the style of professional historians.
“These movies are not calls to action,” Zwerneman emphasizes. “They are stories about our shared past told from the discipline of history.”
The goal is simple: equip teachers, students, and communities to engage with history the way historians do. And it’s all freely available online, including hundreds of documents and maps that can be printed for classroom use.
Visit www.history250.org to explore the first 50 films and accompanying resources.
Why the American Story Still Inspires
History250 confronts the difficult moments in America’s past without losing sight of the courage, ingenuity, and moral vision that have shaped the nation.
Zwerneman highlights how leaders across generations drew on the principles of the founding and their moral convictions to address real challenges: Abraham Lincoln appealed to the ideals of the Declaration of Independence in the Gettysburg Address to confront slavery; Martin Luther King Jr. invoked both Scripture and the nation’s founding principles to advance civil rights; President Truman relied on the Constitution to end segregation in the military; and Cesar Chavez turned to religious tradition to defend the rights of farm workers.
These examples illustrate that America’s history is not something to abandon—it’s something to engage with, learn from, and carry forward.
The Power of Storytelling in History
Even as history majors decline in number, storytelling around the past remains hugely popular. Zwerneman explains:
“Human beings live by narrative. Story fuels both historical novels and historical works. It shapes our moral imagination, our sympathies, and our solidarity with one another.”
By presenting history as narrative, evidence, and moral reflection, History250 allows viewers to see how others faced real challenges—and encourages them to do the same in their own lives.
Free and Accessible for Everyone
A key feature of the project is accessibility. Every film, map, and document is free, allowing teachers, students, families, and community groups to engage with American history in meaningful ways.
Zwerneman hopes the project reaches far beyond schools:
- Churches and faith communities
- VFW and American Legion posts
- Retirement communities
- Homeschoolers and independent learners
“We’re not partisan. We are patriotic,” Zwerneman says. “We look straight at the problems our nation faces. But Americans time and again have been able to find solutions within their history.”
Watch the Full Interview
The discussion between Jeremy Tate and Andrew Zwerneman on “The Anchored Podcast” offers a deeper dive into the origins of the History250 Project, its mission, and the future of American education.
Watch the full episode on the Classic Learning Test YouTube channel, and see how History250 is helping teachers and students rediscover the richness of the American story.
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