15 History Books That Reflect the Real, Diverse History of America

Remember when you were in elementary school and you learned that Christopher Columbus discovered America and was a great explorer and an awesome, holiday-worthy human being? And then you got to high school and learned (maybe) that things were way, way, way more complicated than that? Well, it turns out that a lot of the history that we learned in school was often told by the majority, not the minority, and that it was often summarized, simplified and whitewashed. In some cases, certain voices simply weren’t heard, and in other cases, they were misinterpreted, misunderstood or drowned out by the crowd.

Now it’s time to get woke. Here’s a list of 15 history books that go far beyond Christopher Columbus sailing the ocean blue and deep into the complex, colorful and diverse stories behind the making of our nation, for better or for worse.

‘Lies My Teacher Told Me’
Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen
If you want a general primer of everything your high school social studies teacher got kinda wrong — and why — this is an ideal place to start. Author James Loewen analyzes 18 of the most popular American history textbooks used in secondary schools and offers a treatise on exactly how and why these tomes fail students. Not only do our textbooks simplify and falsify, they also tame and soften, taking the real truth and the real passion from American history.
Surprisingly nonpartisan, this American Book Award–winning book is a perfect introduction for anyone who wants to know why our schools aren’t doing a great job at telling the story of the United States and isn’t sure where to start.
‘A People’s History of the United States’
A People’s History of the United States: 1492–Present by Howard Zinn
When it comes to alternative, inclusive histories of the United States, this is the definitive, landmark text for your bookshelf. Since the first edition of the book was published in 1980, the text has been referenced in everything from Good Will Hunting to The Simpsons, and for good reason: It tells the stories that are often ignored in mainstream history classes, from the moment Christopher Columbus landed on our shores to 9/11 (in the most recent edition). With a focus on all classes and all races, the book takes a deep look at the economic reasons behind political movements as well as the complex causes of our past (and present) wars.
‘An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States’
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
This text, which won the 2015 American Book Award, is shockingly the very first complete history of the United States told from the point of view of the Native Americans who originally occupied this land. Throughout this fascinating though upsetting journey, historian and activist Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz outlines both how the estimated 15 million Natives were victims of genocide during the formation of the United States and how these indigenous peoples bravely fought back at every turn.
There has been a lot written about Native Americans and their important, tragic and inspiring place in our history, but nothing is as comprehensive or cohesive as this book.
‘The New Jim Crow’
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
At first, this seems like a book about a modern-day topic: the extremely troubling issues surrounding mass incarceration. But, as civil rights advocate and litigator Michelle Alexander explains, mass incarceration and modern-day racism are paired with a storied history that goes back for hundreds of years. As Alexander tries to understand where we are today, she takes us on a journey through African-American history from colonial times, to the time of slavery, to the Jim Crow era, to the Clinton Administration.
Thoroughly researched but also very readable, this is a great, though often depressing, book. It’s a must-read for moving our country forward.
‘America’s Women’
America’s Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates and Heroines by Gail Collins
One of the most overlooked populations in United States history texts is also one of the largest: women. Through dozens of presidents, lots of wars and constant change, the female half of the population is often simply not heard from, with some exceptions for Pocahontas and Betsy Ross. America’s Women corrects that issue with a thoughtful, thorough and fun look at four centuries of women in our history.
Not only does Collins cover notable women from our past, she also tells the story of the many nameless women who struggled, fought and persisted. In addition, she offers whip-smart analysis of exactly what women are up against, what their internal conflicts are and where we could be headed in the future.
‘The Gay Revolution’
The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle by Lillian Faderman
It’s hard to believe that just a few decades ago, gays and lesbians were seen as sinister, mentally ill criminals — and they had few rights and protections. In The Gay Revolution, LGBTQ activist and historian Lillian Faderman tells the full (though unfinished) story of the gay struggle for civil rights, starting in the 1950s.
Based not only on research but also on more than 150 interviews with noted gay, lesbian and queer activists, Faderman offers the most comprehensive history of the gay civil rights movement, covering everything from Stonewall to the AIDS epidemic, from dark closets to the fight for marriage equality. Since it is often based on dramatic, first-person eyewitness accounts, this history book is filled with movement and life — and not a moment of it is dry.
‘The Half Has Never Been Told’
The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward E. Baptist
Slavery is definitely a part of all American history textbooks. But many of them don’t dive deep into the complex issue of slavery — specifically, how slavery was instrumental in developing the U.S. economy and its identity for many decades before the Civil War. In The Half Has Never Been Told, historian Edward E. Baptist shows that slavery isn’t just an unfortunate aspect of American history, it is a huge contributor to American history, whether we like it or not. More than that, it’s vital to understand the role that slavery played in the creation of our country in order to make a better future for all Americans.
‘Occupied America: A History of Chicanos’
Occupied America: A History of Chicanos by Roldolfo F. Acuña
This is a traditional, academic American history textbook published by a traditional textbook company, but it’s about a subject that has not seen comprehensive coverage in the past, especially in mainstream American history survey classes: Chicano history. Written by one of the most lauded Chicano historians in the country, this book outlines the people and events who fashioned today’s Chicano identity and culture, reaching back hundreds of years. Detailed and well-documented, the book can either be read straight through or kept as a reference.
‘The Warmth of Other Suns’
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
When this book was published in 2011, it won a stack of awards and was on just about every best book of the year list out there — and for good reason. Epic in scope and highly narrative in style, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson writes about the mass immigration of 6 million African-Americans from the South to other parts of the country between 1915 and 1970.
Focused on the lives of three individuals (with very different stories), the book at once tells the tale of a huge movement as well as the stories of specific people who can’t be boxed in or categorized. Beautifully and lovingly written, The Warmth of Other Suns explores a migration that many American don’t know about or think about, even though everyone is affected by the ripples of its effects every day.
‘Gay New York’
Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture and the Making of the Gay Male World 1890–1940 by George Chauncey
Many people wrongly believe that gay and lesbian individuals were deeply closeted before the 1960s — or that they didn’t really exist (or affect history) at all. But those people couldn’t be more wrong. In this fascinating history written by Yale history professor George Chauncey, we take a never-before-seen look at what gay life looked like in New York City before World War II. Based on primary documents like diaries, oral histories, medical records and legal records, the book chronicles the development of gay pride and gay nightlife while at the same time exploring other fascinating topics like urban life, class struggles, gender and sexuality.
‘The Tragedy of American Diplomacy’
The Tragedy of American Diplomacy by William Appleman Williams
This hefty American history classic was published more than 50 years ago but still ranks among the best texts that turn traditional American history narratives on their head. Written in 1959, the book takes a deep, hard look at American foreign policy and how American ideology and political economy affected how we interacted with the world.
Not only does this incisive interpretation shed light on events like the Cold War and Vietnam, but it also allows us to better understand American foreign policy today.
‘Impossible Subjects’
Impossible Subjects: Illegal Aliens and the Making of Modern America by Mae M. Ngai
As the Trump Administration targets policies related to both legal and illegal immigration, it is more important than ever that we learn about the history of immigration in the United States and how we have come to have the laws and regulations that are in place today.
In Impossible Subjects, historian Mae M. Ngai not only tells the story of illegal immigration in our country but also theorizes on how that story changed the course of America and how it might shape our future.
‘Intimate Matters’
Intimate Matters: A History of Sexuality in America by John D’Emillio & Estelle B. Freedman
Here’s something your high school history textbooks largely shied away from: sex. And yet sex and sexuality are a huge part of the conversation when it comes to many aspects of American history, from politics to culture to identity. Intimate Matters is the only full-length, comprehensive American history text to analyze the people and events of the United States through the lens of sex and sexuality. Why not learn about a lesser-known aspect of our shared past and also have a little fun?
‘Economic Interpretation of the Constitution’
Economic Interpretation of the Constitution by Charles A. Beard
In many circumstances, the U.S. Constitution is held up as a sacred document, written by our forefathers with the best intentions to create a country of freedom and equality. But what if things were less idealistic and more complicated than that? Written in 1913, this text approaches one of our best-known documents from a new angle: one of economic self-interest. Still highly controversial, this book is sure to get you thinking, no matter how much you may ultimately agree with the author’s thesis.
‘The Social Transformation of American Medicine’
The Social Transformation of American Medicine: The Rise of a Sovereign Profession and the Making of a Vast Industry by Paul Starr
Winner of the 1984 Pulitzer Prize, this seminal book about American medicine and our health care system is a must-read for anyone interested in how we have arrived where we are now. With the current political struggle regarding universal health care and the growing issues surrounding privatized health care, this book sheds light on a number of issues from government medical programs to health plans and may be able to help us solve our present-day problems by better understanding our past.