Historian Hiram Kümper analyzes US founding myths at Dortmund event

On 19 November 2026, Professor Hiram Kümper delivered a lecture titled “Mythos 1776 – Traum und Erwachen der amerikanischen Nation” at the Stadtarchiv Dortmund. The talk examined how the United States’ founding myths, especially the narrative of 1776 and the idea of a “freedom‑seeking” nation, shape contemporary American domestic and foreign policy. Kümper highlighted the renewed relevance of these myths following Donald Trump’s recent return to the presidency, arguing that they influence political extremes and societal division.

He also addressed the overlooked costs of the myth, noting the experiences of enslaved Black people, Indigenous peoples, and others whose labor built the nation while receiving little benefit. Kümper, a professor of late medieval and early modern history at the University of Mannheim, contextualized the myth within a broader story of political participation and power struggles.