History as Media; Media as Education

     "If you don't have history, then you're stuck with the word of authorities."

- Howard Zinn (Historian and author), approx. 1:15 in #ReGENERATION [Trailer]

     This particular quote from the short video struck me because I do feel that we, as the Millennial generation, are ultimately reliant on the authority for a vast number of reasons that we discussed in response to the "Millennial Generation Research" article. With Zinn's simple statement, he implies that Millennials lack history somehow. Did we lose it like our car keys? Could it have been written over by new-age wars or other cultural issues mentioned in the short film? Does this mean that we just aren't absorbing history - as a subject matter - in curriculum?  Where did our history go?

It's arguable that History (particularly as a study) is merely the word of the authorities, anyway. If history is subject to those in charge (or the "winning" side), and we all consider youth/future authority to be subject to history, history is a manifest of media and probably one of the oldest versions of media literacy existing. So, what is all of this's definite relevance to our secular practices as developing Art Educators?

     I propose that this be a segway into a mock-lesson plan that challenges what students are taught about history, or an event. It could be specified as a type of alternate history project but most definitely with the resulting effect of "Don't believe everything that you are told," or perhaps, being confident and aware enough to question what you are told. It could start out as something as silly and simple as whether or not the moon-landing happened. From an Art-Project-Innitiator's point of view, I see technology that is already popular in cultural media as the tools in which the students work with. For example, a reproduction of a documentary, or redesigning a newspaper article or poster advertisement.