Dramatic steps to whitewash the American story in the name of “patriotic education” don’t simply reshape what we see on display at our national museums or read in textbooks—they rewrite who has a place in the American story. Black filmmakers committed to investigative, truth-driven work about Black heritage and experience, find themselves fighting not only for funding and access—but at times for the ability to tell stories that reflect an honest reckoning with racism, violence, and activism. The urgent question isn’t simply how to restore lost stories, but how to tell them, and defend the right to ask difficult questions in the face of concerted efforts to sanitize America’s past. Who gets to shape American memory? How can filmmakers keep the door open for critical narratives that challenge the status quo?