Speaker for June:​

Randolph Russell

 

Randolph G. Russell, historian and author of American History In No Time,shares  a message about the serious lack of civic knowledge in the country. 

Some years ago, on the Fourth of July, Russell asked a group of high school students what exactly we were celebrating.  Not one of them knew that on that date in 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.

But evidence of the problem comes not just from anecdotes.  Studies and surveys show that “the lack of knowledge is pervasive across all age groups and all academic levels,” said Russell.

He cited the results of a basic American history test given to college students at 50 institutions around the country, including Harvard and Yale.  Seniors at those colleges scored so poorly that the average grade was an F.

“A survey conducted among the general public found that less than one percent of adults can name the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment,” he said.

Russell gave four reasons why we need to fix this problem, as a nation and as individuals.  “First, it is impossible to understand what it really means to be an American without knowing the basics of our nation’s history, and those things should be so ingrained that they become a part of who we are individually and collectively.” he added.

​His message is especially timely with our nation's 250th anniversary right around the corner.  Russell has spoken to
hundreds of GOP audiences across the country.  Recent appearances at the NFRW convention, Texas state convention, Galveston Lincoln-Reagan Dinner, and numerous other events where he has received enthusiastic receptions.