Books Have Their Own Stories: LGBTQ+ History in U.S. History Textbooks, 1990-2015

Abstract

Social studies education in the United States is largely textbook-driven, with the material covered in the text informing the curriculum for the academic year. Evaluating the place of LGBTQ+ history in U.S. history classrooms, then, requires reviewing and analyzing textbooks written for and used by these classes since the 1990s. This historical study assesses the evolution of textbook references to LGBTQ+ figures and events over several decades, in addition to analyzing the frequency with which relevant events are mentioned. The major findings are threefold: first, a textbook’s intended audience to a large extent dictates its LGBTQ+ history coverage; second, publication date is an important but secondary factor in determining LGBTQ+ history’s inclusion in a text; and third, a book’s title often indicates whether the story it tells will include the LGBTQ+ population. In order to properly examine this important source and evaluate trends, this study targets multiple editions of the same book from 1990 to the present to illustrate change in particular books, rather than accruing a random sample. Moreover, this study assesses how books intended for students at different skill levels and in various geographic regions include and portray LGBTQ+ history over time.