The Past as Liberation from History explores the difference between the social construction we call history and the lived experience we call the past, arguing that by failing to distinguish between the two, we risk unquestionably accepting as authoritative accounts of the past in which we have no voice. It shows that identities rooted in the richness and variety of the past, even when the history is painful, serve the purpose of drawing us closer to one another as we seek to realize our shared dreams of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. By placing in counterpoint broader educational concerns with the teaching experiences of the author, the study also explores this individual's testimony as a teacher seeking to make relevant for his students the examination of the past.