“Not Who We Are”: The January 6 Insurrection and the Post-Truth Politics of Denial with Kathleen Belew

Many Americans who witnessed the events of January 6, 2021 voiced a reaction that quickly took hold across a political spectrum: “This is not who we are.” But such a view ignores the long history of racist vigilante violence that has shaped America since its founding. Historian Kathleen Belew examines January 6 in the context of the organized white power movement that began percolating into mainstream American politics well before the 2016 election of Donald J. Trump. Knowing and understanding our history, Belew contends, is the only path to a more democratic future.

Author, educator and political commentator Kathleen Belew specializes in the recent history of the United States, examining the long aftermath of warfare. Her latest book is “A Field Guide to White Supremacy."