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7 Things People Get Wrong About American History

TIME asked seven historians about the myths they often find themselves debunking — and where Americans' understanding of their country's history tends to be incomplete.

Octavius Valentine Catto honored in Philadelphia

Who? That’s the point.

No, Dinesh D’Souza, that photo isn’t the KKK marching to the Democratic National Convention

A Case Western Reserve historian spotted the error.

The history of singing the national anthem before NFL games

The history of playing the national anthem before sports games has strong ties with honoring the armed forces.

In a Lost Essay, a Glimpse of an Elusive Poet and Slave

George Moses Horton's “Individual Influence” is interesting not just for his lofty, abstract words about the primacy of divine influence, but for the context in which they were preserved: in a scrapbook of material relating to a prominent scholar who was forced out of the university after publicly opposing slavery.

Smithsonian gives Clarence Thomas a spot in year-old African American history museum

Justice Thomas’ apparent omission irked conservative observers, who suspected an ideological bias among Smithsonian officials and called for the influential jurist’s inclusion in the museum.

UN Wants Canada To Apologize, Pay Reparations For Black Slavery

Prior to its abolition, slavery was never widespread in British North America, although it was extensive in tropical colonies like Jamaica.

Did their school have ties to slavery? Now students try to make sense of the answer.

“Now that we have the information, what can we do?” said Hameed Nelson, 16, who also took part in the research.

National Anthem Protests by Black Athletes Have a Long History

The protests by African-American athletes date back decades, often angering mostly white fans and officials.

The National Security Agency's own history of tracking of U.S. Citizens is flawed

The history incorrectly stated that Senator Howard Baker and journalists Art Buchwald and Tom Wicker, among others, were on the Watch List. They weren't.  But they were on another equally-questionable list.

Saudi Textbook Withdrawn Over Image of Yoda With King

How they had ended up together in a textbook in a country with no public movie theaters was anyone’s guess. Even the Saudi artist who created the image had no idea.

Before Trump vs. the NFL, there was Jackie Robinson vs. JFK

Jackie Robinson, the hero who integrated Major League Baseball in 1947, spoke out loudly for civil rights and challenged President John F. Kennedy to stop dithering on black equality. Unlike Trump, JFK sought to understand Robinson’s complaints.

Israelis are celebrating the Kurds’ bid for independence

Here’s what they’re saying.

Wall Street Journal study finds that rural youths who enlisted after 9/11 shouldered the greatest burden for the nation’s defense

Per capita, nearly twice as many small-town Americans have died at war since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks compared with those from large metro areas.

Little Rock Nine's 60th Anniversary Weekend Celebrations

On September 25, 1957, nine African-American students, under the protection of military escorts, walked up the front steps of Central High and into history.

Vice President Pence Cited a Fake Thomas Jefferson Quote

Quoting Pence: "Thomas Jefferson said, ‘Government that governs least governs best.’" Thomas Jefferson didn't actually say that.

Holocaust Denier’s Sentence: Visit 5 Ex-Nazi Camps, and Write About It

A former lawmaker in Belgium convicted of Holocaust denial in 2015 was handed an unusual sentence this week: The Brussels Court of Appeal ordered him to visit one Nazi concentration camp a year for the next five years and write about his experiences.

Parliament Square in London Is Closer to Having First Female Statue

London officials announced in April that they would rectify the omission of women in Parliament Square by placing a statue of Millicent Garrett Fawcett (1847-1929), who campaigned for women’s right to vote, on the square. Now we can see the statue.

In Trump’s America, is the Supreme Court still seen as legitimate?

by Michael Nelson, Eric Plutzer andMichael Berkman

A survey asked Americans what they would do if the Supreme Court started making many unpopular decisions. 44% said the justices should be forced to undergo confirmation every 6 years.

The Republican Plan to Repeal Obamacare for Everybody But Alaska Might Be Unconstitutional

Lindsey Graham’s bill gives Alaska especially generous treatment, but the Constitution has a uniformity clause that prevents coalitions of states from ganging up on others to impose discriminatory treatment.