When most people hear the word “propaganda,” they immediately think of World War II posters or Cold War messaging. But as I’ve learned through both my classes and personal experiences, propaganda remains a powerful and prevalent force in our contemporary society, showing up in both helpful and harmful ways. When most people hear the word “propaganda,” they immediately think of World War II posters or Cold War messaging. But as I’ve learned through both my classes and personal experiences, propaganda remains a powerful and prevalent force in our contemporary society, showing up in both helpful and harmful ways.
As a Black woman attending predominantly white institutions since my freshman year, when I started attending a private, Catholic high school, I’ve become hyperaware of how information can be selectively presented or omitted to shape narratives.
In my AP US History class, my teacher skipped over significant portions of slavery and the civil rights movement, reducing complex struggles to a few sanitized paragraphs in our textbook. This selective presentation of US history reaches further than just my high school class, and it is a subtle but effective form of propaganda, controlling which stories are told and which voices are amplified.
That is in stark contrast to him sometimes using me as a “real world” example. For example, there used to be clauses in new house deeds saying that houses couldn’t be sold to those of African descent. “If Destini wanted to buy Jane Doe’s house for $200,000 but John Smith wanted to buy it for $100,000, Jane would have to sell it to John because he is white and Destini is of African descent.”
Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist. What makes today’s propaganda different isn’t necessarily the intent but rather the sophisticated delivery methods and psychological techniques used.
Not all propaganda serves malicious purposes, though. Many public health campaigns use propaganda techniques to promote positive societal outcomes. Anti-smoking initiatives represent one of the most successful applications of positive propaganda. Graphic images on cigarette packaging and emotional testimonials from former smokers have dramatically reduced smoking rates, especially among young people.
Environmental advocacy often uses propaganda techniques, too. From carefully selected imagery of endangered polar bears to simplified explanations of complex climate science, these campaigns create emotional connections that inspire action.
While propaganda can serve noble purposes, its use as a tool for manipulation and division remains common. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has been accompanied by sophisticated propaganda from both sides, with social media serving as the primary battlefield. In my Contemporary Politics class, we analyzed how each side crafts narratives designed to influence international opinion.
The digital environment has enabled unprecedented precision in propaganda targeting. Unlike mass propaganda of the past, today’s disinformation campaigns can micro-target specific demographic groups with tailored messaging. I’ve noticed this firsthand in my social media feeds, where I receive very different political content than my white roommates, despite our similar interests.
A more subtle form of contemporary propaganda involves the selective inclusion or exclusion of content in educational curricula. The controversies in several states regarding teaching African American history hit close to home for me. When researching, I realized that schools (on all levels) have textbooks that contain almost no mention of systemic racism or the full horrors of slavery or are taught in ways that minimize those parts of American history.
By minimizing discussions of systemic racism or sanitizing historical injustices, these curriculum decisions shape students’ understanding of national identity and social issues. As someone who had to supplement my education with independent reading and community knowledge, I recognize how powerful the control of “official history” can be.
A few months ago, a deep-fake video of President Trump and Elon Musk engaging in some indecent activity created by AI was circulated widely in the HUD building before being debunked. However, the damage was already done, as many people believed it was true, and they formed opinions based on the false content.
As propaganda techniques become more sophisticated, developing media literacy becomes increasingly important. We have to learn to identify emotional triggers, logical fallacies, and visual techniques used in propaganda, which can help us navigate the complex information landscape we all face.
When I recognize that propaganda remains as prevalent today as in any historical period, just in different forms, I can better evaluate the messages I encounter daily. For students like me, who come from communities whose stories have often been manipulated or erased, this awareness isn’t just academic—it’s essential for preserving our authentic histories and advocating for truth.
In our world, where information has never been more abundant, yet truth sometimes seems increasingly elusive, recognizing and analyzing propaganda is not just a skill for passing classes but a necessary tool for engaging with society and protecting my identity and community.
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