Diverse people and cultures challenge our understanding of history. Statues of historical leaders of the United States that have been deemed offensive are being removed, buildings long named after public figures are being renamed after more “appropriate” dignitaries, local and national holiday celebrations are being recast to represent other cultures, and school lessons are teaching new historical “truths”.

• Why are we changing our understanding of our history?
• Is our current understanding of the past so wrong that it needs to be corrected?
• With all the challenges to the historical record, how do I know what to believe about the past events that make me who I am today?

These are the questions I and probably you ask with hesitation, for any change in our understanding of history changes who we are and threatens our self-identity. Today’s topic reviews historical research conducted by academic scholars that will challenge many popular assumptions and beliefs. My intent is not to convince anyone that what they believe is wrong, but to critically explore an understanding of our history, and for each of us to determine for ourselves what we value and how we should conduct ourselves in the sacred interactions we call life.