“More beautiful and more terrible than anything anyone has ever said”

9/11, BLM, and the creation of an American identity

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/ce.v16i4.187038

Keywords:

American identity, national identity, social studies, 9/11, Black Lives Matter, cultural memory

Abstract

We contend that September 11th and the Black Lives Matter movement acted as critical moments that challenged earlier notions of the American identity and the false pretenses of a racially, religiously, and culturally equitable United States. Using theoretical lenses of double consciousness and cultural memory, we further that the way newspapers present narratives of these events emphasizes how the memories of a country and who they think they are fluctuate and change throughout time. We end with implications for social studies spaces that seek to explore 9/11 and the Black Lives Matter movement’s impact on American national identity, and/or hope to critique how memories shaped by media outlets like newspapers reinscribe or counter previous notions of the American national identity.

Author Biographies

Joanna Batt, University of Cincinnati

Dr. Joanna Batt is an Assistant Professor of Secondary Education and Social Studies at the University of Cincinnati. Informed and inspired by seven years of teaching high school history in Buffalo, New York, Joanna is deeply passionate about student voice in social studies research, and the relationship of history teaching, the arts and media, and social justice. She can be reached at Joanna.batt@uc.edu.

Michael L. Joseph, Texas Tech University

Dr. Michael L. Joseph is an Assistant Professor of Social Studies Education at Texas Tech University. He taught social studies in Dallas, TX for six years, and his research focuses on how Arab/MENA American preservice and inservice teachers are culturally influenced in their pedagogical practices and decision making.

Anthony L. Brown, University of Texas at Austin

Dr. Anthony L. Brown is an Professor of Curriculum and Instruction in Social Studies Education at the University of Texas at Austin. A former elementary and middle school social studies teacher, his research examines the educational needs of African American male students, and how school curriculum depicts the historical experiences of African Americans.  

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Published

2025-11-18

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 4 (2025)

Section

Investigating Education, Class Antagonisms and Solidarity: Toward Critical Humanist Democratic Societies

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Joanna Batt, Michael L. Joseph, Anthony L. Brown

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