He states that textbooks take important figures from history and "transform [these] flesh-and-blood individuals into godly and perfect creatures, without conflict, without pain, without credibility or human interest" (Loewen 1). Many supporters and fans of Helen Keller do not know that she was a radical socialist, although that in itself is not a negative quality, I think it would be relevant information when talking about Helen Keller. The majority of history students have heard of or, at some point, heard of Helen Keller, but if asked who she was or what she accomplished, most students would answer that she was “a blind and deaf girl” who overcame her physical disabilities and still succeeded. , but we don't know much else. Another example would be Christopher Columbus, he is known as the great discoverer of America. The man who sailed the blue ocean overcame many trials and finally found land and discovered the American continent. Despite the fact that common sense tells you that he didn't actually discover America, because there were already people living on the continent. In fact, Columbus was a wicked, heartless and barbaric human being. Columbus and his men took “women and children as slaves for sex and labor” (Zinn 1). The natives were forced to search for gold and those who failed to meet the required quota of gold “had their hands cut off and bled to death” (Zinn 1). The inhumane and disgusting acts that Columbus and the natives committed against the natives shocked me to the core. The fact that I had never heard of it before college, especially as someone very interested in history, made me feel stupid and completely ashamed. An obscure person would be understandable, but given that Columbus is one of the most well-known characters in history, I find it hard to understand why so much that speaks to his character is hidden from students and omitted from textbooks from all over the country. Columbus is