Celebrate Our History

-noel abejo

It depends. Who's writing it?

FCC Chair, Brendan Carr, is offering broadcasters programming guidance for our country's 250th birthday. The Hill reports, "The goal of the initiative, the FCC said as part of the announcement it made Friday, is for major broadcasters to put on programming that “celebrates the American journey and inspires its citizens by highlighting the historic accomplishments of this great nation from our founding through the Trump Administration today.” 

Define Patriotism

The push is coming from the Trump administration and includes segments featuring Souza marches, daily broadcasts of the Pledge of Allegiance, and starting and ending the broadcast day with the Star Spangled Banner. Since most broadcasters are on the air 24/7, the beginning of the broadcast day would be at midnight.

I'm wondering what the administration would think of a clear eyed look at the struggles and accomplishments of the civil rights movement? After all, they've been busy trying to dismantle most of this. I think we got our answer when the National Park Service abruptly removed an exhibit detailing the lives of enslaved people at the President’s House site on Independence Mall. Following legal action, a federal judge ordered a partial restoration of these panels, which were reinstalled in mid-February 2026. The site is a major, reconstructed historical landmark.

(The following is from online sources.)

The Civil Rights Movement (roughly 1954–1968) achieved the dismantling of legally enforced segregation (Jim Crow laws) and secured landmark federal legislation protecting voting rights, public accommodation, and fair housing for Black Americans. Key accomplishments included the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the desegregation of schools and public facilities. 

Key achievements and legislative successes included:

• Civil Rights Act of 1964: Outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public accommodations and employment, and created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
• Voting Rights Act of 1965: Eliminated legal barriers (such as literacy tests) that prevented Black citizens from voting, authorized federal oversight of registration, and protected the right to vote.
• Fair Housing Act of 1968: Prohibited discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing.
• Desegregation of Public Spaces: Ended legal segregation in schools, buses, and public facilities following rulings like Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and actions like the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
• Economic and Social Impact: Led to increased representation in professional jobs, higher wages for Black workers, and a significant rise in college enrollment.
• Interracial Marriage: Struck down bans on interracial marriage through the Loving v. Virginia (1967) decision. 

The movement used nonviolent protest, marches, and legal challenges to force these changes, ultimately creating a more equitable legal framework for civil rights in the United States.