"Whoever controls the past controls the future. And whoever controls the present controls the past." The struggle over America's historical narrative is not new, though it has intensified in recent years. Debates over how slavery is taught and remembered continue to shape public discourse, raising important questions about history, identity, and national memory.

This course examines how the institution of slavery influenced the nation's founding, economy, laws, and enduring social divisions. As William Faulkner observed, "The past is never dead; it's not even past." The Founders' decisions regarding slavery continue to echo throughout American history, challenging the nation in its pursuit of the Constitution's promise of "domestic tranquility."

Drawing on historical evidence, participants will explore how the legacy of slavery has been passed from generation to generation, reflecting the biblical passage that "the sins of the fathers have been visited upon their children" (Exodus 34:7). The course also considers how the American story might have unfolded differently had slavery not been woven into the nation's earliest foundations.