ACC professor wrote the book on Texas history

State’s middle-schoolers use ACC professor’s textbook

Austin Community College Professor - Larry Willoughby

Austin Community College Professor - Larry Willoughby

Austin Community College Professor Larry Willoughby does more than teach Texas history. He also writes about it.

A four-time author, Willoughby has written two history textbooks including one that’s used in more than half of all Texas seventh-grade public school classrooms. “Texas!” has sold more than 300,000 copies and is in its third printing.

A self-proclaimed civil rights historian, Willoughby tries to write the textbooks from multiple perspectives. He especially revels in the underrepresented characters of history and tries to expose their stories.

“Other people contributed to history, not just white males,” he says. “I like to bring diversity to history and talk about all Texans, including African Americans, women, Native Americans, and Mexican Americans.”

Writing for middle school readers requires some changes for a professor used to addressing college classes. “I had to bring the reading level down, and my editors helped me revise content that may have been too controversial for seventh graders,” he says.

Willoughby’s ultimate goal is to make history memorable and meaningful to students. “I love history. It’s the story of the human experience, and there is something in it that everyone can relate to. I want people to look beyond the facts and dates and see their grandparents.”

Willoughby began teaching at ACC 30 years ago and continues to share with students his passion for history. Waiting together before class on a recent day, students could overhear Willoughby relating Old West tales of stagecoach robberies and shootouts. His voice literally boomed from a nearby room, capturing an audience well before class started.

“I thought his class was going to be so hard-core and intense because he wrote a history book, but it is completely the opposite,” says Holly Wilson, a Texas Tech University senior taking Willoughby’s Texas History class at ACC this summer. “He keeps it interesting, and I don’t ever find myself getting bored.”

Willoughby’s favorite Texan is Sam Houston but not for the traditional things people like about him. “He did things that were not popular in his time, like supporting Indian rights and opposing the spread of slavery,” Willoughby says.

Like his hero, Willoughby isn’t afraid of confrontation and likes to push current discussions to get students engaged. “I throw out points of view they may not have considered before. I want to challenge their traditional views on anything and everything,” he says.

A recent discussion flared on whether the state should subsidize a new Dallas Cowboys football stadium.

“Why should taxpayers have to pay for a profit that will be made by individuals?” Willoughby challenged his students. Most liked the subsidy, but one student, an education major, objected. “It doesn’t make sense to me to be spending on sports when students need textbooks,” she said.

“Those of you who go on to teach in public education may be frustrated with the amount of funding that is funneled to sports programs,” Willoughby agreed.

Willoughby often takes opposing viewpoints during classroom discussions–even when they’re not his personal beliefs. “I’ll take any side, just to get students involved,” he says.

And it works.

“Professor Willoughby brings conviction, dedication, humor, and vast knowledge of the subject matter to his classes,” says Gaye Lynn Scott, dean of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Division which oversees the history department. “His students benefit from Professor Willoughby’s passion for the subject and ability to bring history alive in the classroom.”

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