Future Hindsight Myth Making in America: Hajar Yazdiha
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Aug 28, 2025 Hajar Yazdiha, an Associate Professor of Sociology at USC Dornsife, dives into the fascinating intersection of collective memory and American exceptionalism. She dissects how historical narratives shape contemporary movements like Black Lives Matter, emphasizing the need for truthful storytelling. Hajar advocates for a civic action toolkit—Advocate, Relate, Create—to inspire change. She also challenges listeners to confront uncomfortable truths about America’s racial history, revealing both the struggles and hopes of a multiracial democracy.
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Collective Memory Shapes National Identity
- Collective memory is how history is remembered and becomes central to who a people think they are.
- Hajar Yazdiha frames it as storytelling shaped by cultural, social, and political processes.
BLM Continues Long Black Freedom Struggle
- Black Lives Matter continues the long lineage of Black struggle that predates the 1950s civil rights era.
- Hajar highlights gaps in mainstream memory that misrepresent tactics and leaders of past movements.
Recovering Erased Leaders And Intersectionality
- The civil rights movement's mainstream mythology centers Black men like King while sidelining queer activists and women.
- BLM seeks to recover those erased figures and build a more intersectional, global movement.
