Thank you for your service: Historical Memory of us conflict educator summer institute

Rosie the Riveter, Uncle Sam, The U.S. soldier, Appomattox, D-Day, Evacuation of Saigon

These monumental moments and figures came to represent iconic flashpoints in the history of the United States. However, conflict was more complex, messy, nuanced, and multifaceted than a singular image or moment. Memory was also more complex and messy than any one moment.

In this summer institute, participants explored how we create a national narrative and historical memory of war and conflict—and how that informed curriculum and instruction. What were we teaching? What was being left out? Who was being left out? Was the legacy we taught of these conflicts accurate? How could we help students learn from the past to navigate our current world? What were we really saying when we said “Thank You For Your Service?”

Participants explored the history of the United States from 1860 to the present through the lens of conflict, memory, and how instruction contributed to an understanding and creation of national identity. They analyzed the meaning behind sites of memory, examined how tools of memory shaped understanding of conflict throughout U.S. history, and considered the modern tools through which students interacted with conflict outside of the classroom. From military ceremonies to battles to ‘winners’ to video games, a national narrative had been created that permeated the study of history.

This program was open to all educators (PreK–16, pre-service educators, and informal educators) and all subject areas. The five-day workshop was hosted at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum in Austin, Texas, June 23–27, 2025.

Program Objectives

• Analyzed how public narratives of conflict shaped instruction
• Examined how to develop a more comprehensive curriculum/instruction around conflict
• Explored the ways in which media could be used for student engagement and critical thinking

Speakers for the program included:

• Dr. Taína Caragol, National Portrait Gallery
• Dr. Kara Dixon Vuic, Texas Christian University
• Dr. Bruce Gleason, University of St. Thomas
• Lara Hall, Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library
• Marc Selverstone, Miller Center of Public Affairs
• Dr. Mark Atwood Lawrence, University of Texas
• Dr. Kate Lemay, Army War College
• Dr. Jeremi Suri, University of Texas
• Dr. Steven Trout, University of Alabama
• Dr. Robert Whitaker, Collins College