Historian's Statement: Why do I study history? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay I study history because history has proven over time who has power and who has privileges in a country. History has shown, from the enslavement of African American migrants to the rapid spread of Islamophobia in modern times, that racism remains a serious problem yet to be solved. Since Hawaii became a state in 1959, we have become part of the Land of the Free where people are to be treated as equals, as stated in its Constitution long established by our Founding Fathers. However this is not the case. We were taught according to white books and white curriculum by white-educated teachers. We are taught to believe in a way to be fully accepted by society. We will be given low-paying jobs if we don't stick to using the pidgin creole language. History has shown time and again how white culture will always be dominant in deciding how society works. I study history because, as a person of color, I see an opportunity for change. It wasn't long ago that I decided to be an activist because I was blinded by equal opportunity to the American dream; the idea that if I worked hard, I would succeed, but he never stated that this dream was much harder for people of color to achieve. As a Filipino, Catholic (a subdivision of Christianity), and heterosexual male, I am treated better than most people of color and am accepted by society because I am straight and my religious views are similar to the faith of most Americans. However, we also see people of color, especially those of African American descent and those of the Middle East. This ideology that African Americans are criminals and Middle Easterners are terrorists demonstrates how quickly people will believe the mainstream narrative, the one taught to them by covert sources. I study history because I feel saddened by what other people of color must experience: oppression, discrimination, and feeling unwelcome in a place where they were born and raised. Do I feel the need to take a stand and change the way things are now, so that people of color are not oppressed and have equal opportunities towards success, happiness, security, or should I say, the American Dream? I study history because unlike everyone else in school, it could be seen in two different philosophical approaches: traditional narrative or counter-narrative. The mainstream narrative is often glossed over by those who believe white power needs to be restored and often oppresses people of color, while the counternarrative is the narrative often hidden from us because it holds so much truth. During the 1800s, slaves could never be told their identity. We are the slaves of the twenty-first century. We are prevented from knowing our history because of the fear of reacting. They fear that by studying history, people of color like me, will lead future generations to deny white power and destroy the power structure that has been imposed on us. Please note: this is just an example. Get a customized document from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay Ask me these two questions again: Why do I study history? What would happen if I didn't study history? I study history because things have to change starting from this generation. As Whitney Houston sings, “children are our future,” children today must understand the oppression and circumstances behind.’