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Historian raises concerns about universities teaching ‘victim’-focused, revisionist history
Philadelphia’s largest universities have been mostly quiet about plans to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary on July 4, although University of Pennsylvania has announced some classes and projects.
Drexel and Temple universities also have a few loosely connected exhibits and conferences, but none responded to The Fix‘s requests for comment about their plans.
Meanwhile, a historian who spoke with The College Fix raised concerns about universities portraying America’s first year as a country through a “victim” lens.
Philadelphia is significant to the celebration because the Declaration of Independence was signed there in 1776.
At the University of Pennsylvania, the Ivy League institution recently advertised a series of Revolutionary and early American history courses that would be offered throughout the year in connection with the 250th anniversary, according to a news release.
These include “Wives, Workers, Widows and Wenches: Women in the Law of Early America,” “Slavery and Disease: Medical Knowledge in the Atlantic World,” and “A Nation of Immigrants Reconsidered.”
Mary Grabar, a historical scholar and author of “Debunking The 1619 Project,” expressed concerns about some of the courses when contacted by The Fix. The “1619 Project” argued America’s founding was based on slavery, a premise that Grabar and other historians have said is untrue.
“It seems that the Revolution-themed courses offered by Penn are infused with the concerns of the contemporary academy, such as intersectionality, imperialism, and the experiences of victim groups,” Grabar told The Fix in a recent interview.
“If this is representative of colleges, then students will learn less about the American founding than about these political fetishes,” she said.
The Fix also reached out to several professors of American history at UPenn for comment, but none of them responded.
Other anniversary projects at UPenn include a three-volume history series from the university’s press, telling the story of Philadelphia from “the time of the Native Americans who first lived here to the modern ages.”
Additionally, in September, its Graduate School of Education held the “USA 250 Showcase,” a series of workshops for k-12 teachers focused on “regional history and ecology in preparation for the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding.”
UPenn’s media team did not respond to multiple emails from The College Fix in recent weeks asking for more details regarding its plans for the country’s anniversary.
The City of Philadelphia itself has numerous events planned throughout 2026, including several special recognitions of higher education institutions.
One of the events is 52 Weeks of Firsts, a celebration every Saturday of a “Philadelphia First,” which the city’s website defines as “something that happened [in Philadelphia] before anywhere else.”
UPenn is set to be recognized as the nation’s first university during week 46. Additionally, Drexel University will be recognized as the first women’s medical college on week 11.
Neither Temple nor Drexel, two other major Philadelphia universities, responded to multiple requests from The Fix through their media relations offices asking about their plans for the anniversary.
In October, Temple did publish an interview with Ira Rosen, professor of event and entertainment management at the School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management, addressing the city’s position at the center of the 250th anniversary celebrations.
“The 250th provides us with so many opportunities for Temple students to learn right in our backyard about hosting major events,” Rosen said.
At the school, he said, “we are talking a lot about it in our classes; we’re having guest speakers from the planning committees to share their experiences with our students.”
“The international eye will be on Philadelphia,” Rosen said. “As a major university in the heart of the city, this is a great opportunity to showcase Temple, and I’m truly excited for all that’s ahead in the coming year.”
Last week, Temple also mentioned the nation’s anniversary in connection to its Arts and Quality of Life Conference, which takes place later this month. However, the news release did not provide many details about how the conference specifically will focus on America’s founding.
The conference will explore “how the arts shape our quality of life” and “how artistic expression influences well-being, connection and social impact,” according to the news release.
Meanwhile, Drexel University announced that its Academy of Natural Sciences would debut an exhibit called “Botany of Nations: Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery” focused on plants collected by 19th century explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.
The exhibit, which opens on March 28, was linked to the 250th anniversary in an article by The Philadelphia Inquirer, though Drexel’s website does not specifically mention the celebration.
Visitors will “[l]earn how the Native Nations Meriwether Lewis met on the trail shaped America’s plant knowledge long before Western scientists claimed these ‘discoveries.’ Centering the voices of Native Nations who have protected and cared for the lands for thousands of years, Botany of Nations presents plants as portals to Indigenous storytelling and knowledge,” the exhibit website states.
Another smaller institution, Holy Family University in northeast Philadelphia did respond to The Fix.
In an email, the campus media relations office shared that the private, Catholic university plans to sponsor One River Alliance’s FreedomFest on July 4 as it has in past years, but it does not have any other plans for the 250th anniversary.
FreedomFest is an Independence Day celebration held in Northeast Philadelphia.
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