Reading Between the Lines: What America Learned from its Basal Readers, 1850-2000

This research project will combine content analysis with historical investigation as it considers the values transmitted through the texts and images of American school readers in the years between 1850 and 2000. Four categories of material found in basal reader textbooks will be addressed: portrayals of people, nonfictional selections in the fields of history and science, stories from classic literature, and the artwork and format in which the books presented their material. Additional information will supply an overview of American textbook history and a consideration of the possible role of basal readers in the 21st century.