Trump Administration Releases ‘1776 Commission’ Report

On Monday, the Trump administration released “The 1776 Report,” a document that calls for “patriotic education that teaches the truth of America,” says founding fathers’ slave ownership was an unfortunate product of its time, and describes progressivism and identity politics as “challenges to America’s principles.” The White House says the commission features "some of America’s most distinguished scholars and historians"; the commission is largely made up of conservative thinkers and activists, and has been criticized, especially by academics, for lacking qualified professional historians. The report is a response to The New York Times Magazine’s “1619 Project,” an initiative to place “the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the very center of our national narrative.” Coverage in left-rated outlets was highly critical of the report, with some coverage focusing on criticisms by professional American historians and other coverage outright labeling it as “racist.” Coverage in center- and right-rated outlets was less common and tended to describe the report’s claims with less commentary and context, with some coverage from the right taking a more positive angle.