Dunning School facts for kids

The Dunning School was a way of thinking about American history, especially the time after the American Civil War (1865–1877). This period is called Reconstruction. It is named after Columbia University professor William Archibald Dunning.

This group of historians supported the ideas of conservative people in the South. These included plantation owners and former Confederates. They did not agree with the Radical Republicans. The Radical Republicans wanted to give civil rights to former slaves in the South. The Dunning School believed that giving civil rights to former slaves was a mistake.

Understanding the Dunning School's Ideas

The Dunning School's ideas came from Professor William Archibald Dunning (1857–1922). He and his students wrote many books and articles. They believed that the South was harmed during Reconstruction. They thought that American values were ignored because the U.S. Army controlled state politics.

Views on Freedmen and Segregation

Dunning and his followers thought that freedmen (formerly enslaved people) could not govern themselves. Because of this, they believed that segregation (keeping races separate) was necessary. Dunning felt that allowing Black people to vote and hold office was a "serious error."

Influence on History Books

Professor Dunning taught many students who shared his views. The Dunning School's ideas were very popular for a long time. They shaped how Reconstruction was taught in textbooks until the 1960s. Terms they used, like "scalawags" for white Southerners who supported the Republican Party, and "carpetbaggers" for Northerners who moved South, are still sometimes used in history.

Challenging the Dunning School's Views

Over time, many historians began to disagree with the Dunning School. They felt its ideas were unfair and biased.

W. E. B. Du Bois's Criticism

In 1935, a famous writer and historian named W. E. B. DuBois wrote a book called Black Reconstruction. He strongly disagreed with the Dunning School. DuBois showed that Black people were very active during Reconstruction. He argued that the fight over Black labor was central to the politics of that time. He saw Reconstruction as a time of great hope and many achievements. Its failure, he said, was a sad loss for democracy. At first, other historians did not pay much attention to DuBois's book. But later, new historians praised his ideas.

Modern Historians' Perspectives

Historian Kenneth M. Stampp was a leader in changing how people viewed Reconstruction. He successfully challenged the Dunning School's ideas, which were based on racial bias. Another historian, Jean Edward Smith, wrote that the Dunning School, even if it tried to be fair, wrote from a perspective that favored white people over others. Some historians today also suggest that groups who support Neo-Confederate ideas are influenced by the Dunning School's old interpretations of history.