The internet exploded Wednesday after U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon appeared clueless about one of the most devastating moments in Black American history. During a congressional hearing, McMahon stumbled over questions about the Tulsa Race Massacre and civil rights icon Ruby Bridges, shocking lawmakers and igniting fierce backlash over her ability to lead the nation’s educational priorities.
The moment that sparked the firestorm came when Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) asked McMahon whether teaching about the Tulsa Race Massacre would violate recent federal crackdowns on DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) in classrooms. McMahon’s response: “I’d have to get back to you.” But the real jolt came when she was asked if she even knew what the Tulsa massacre was. Once again, she admitted she’d need to “look into it more.”
Historic Ignorance or Political Deflection? Education Secretary’s Stumbles Ignite Backlash
The exchange quickly unraveled into what critics are now calling a full-blown exposure of Linda McMahon’s “knowledge gap.” Lee then asked whether lessons from Through My Eyes, a memoir by Ruby Bridges, the six-year-old who desegregated a New Orleans school in 1960, would also be considered illegal. McMahon’s reply? She hadn’t read the book and requested ‘specific examples.’ “That was a specific example,” Lee fired back.
The US Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, seemingly does not know about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre or Ruby Bridges:
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 4, 2025
“I will look into it and get back to you.” pic.twitter.com/rFZnMSm9So
Online, many were stunned that Linda McMahon, born in 1948, was unfamiliar with Ruby Bridges’ story. Moreover, it had dominated headlines during her youth. Additionally, others questioned how the Secretary of Education didn’t recognize the Tulsa Race Massacre. This 1921 tragedy saw hundreds of Black residents killed and an entire Oklahoma neighborhood destroyed by white mobs.
The gaffe comes as the Trump-aligned administration wages a war on what it calls “radical indoctrination” in public schools. In fact, in his executive order, former President Trump labeled white privilege and unconscious bias as ideas that “promote racial discrimination.”
Consequently, McMahon’s vague and evasive answers are being seen as proof that this agenda is already creating deep knowledge gaps. Furthermore, some even argue it leaves key figures dangerously uninformed—and unqualified.
