you know, i think it depends on the person. most people, in my experience, need that reminder. remember, people need to see movies like schindler's list, thin red line, born on the 4th of july, crash, etc. because the recent horrors perpetrated by humanity are not clear in their minds. they're some 'bad thing that happened in the past'.

i can't watch those movies. hell, i can't even watch the news. i know every horrible thing that goes on everyday, all over the world, and if i think about it for more than 30 seconds, i start crying. not 'oh that is terrible' crying, but feeling the actual pain and suffering type. tj constantly reminds me that i am a unique little flower, and that the rest of the world operates in a different way.

so, while i think it is important to make it crystal clear what happened in history, i think that has to be approached very carefully with kids, and just having them read a book is probably not the best approach. there needs to be discussion, and a variety of sources. something from the point of view of the oppressed might be more appropriate, like "incidents in the life of a slave girl". when the context of history is applied, the contemporary issues become clearer.