1836 Project promotes sanitized version of Texas history, experts say

The 1836 Project, an advisory committee created by the Texas Legislature last year to promote “patriotic education” about the state’s history, approved a 15-page pamphlet last month that will be shared with Texans when they get a new driver’s license. (Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune)

A committee charged with producing a “patriotic” telling of Texas history approved a 15-page pamphlet last month that will now be distributed to new Texas drivers.

The advisory committee — named the 1836 Project after the year Texas gained its independence from Mexico — was created last year with the passing of House Bill 2497. The legislation required the committee to tell a story of “a legacy of economic prosperity” and the “abundant opportunities for businesses and families, among other requirements.”