Norman Douglas once said: "Education is a state-controlled manufactory of echoes". There is little doubt that education is used by governments to communicate certain values to the members of society. Through the process of education, specifically public education, students are socialized into citizens and are introduced to the fundamental principles that govern their society. Because formal education heavily relies on textbooks, analyzing them becomes useful in understanding the kind of national identity the nationalist project as a whole aims to transmit to the younger generation. Thus, analyzing textbooks issued by the government can provide great insight into the ideal national identity envisioned by the given government at and the nationalist project at any given time. Textbooks from the early twentieth century Egypt (1930-1945) are significant in understanding the components of the national identity favored and encouraged during that particular time period. At the same time, contemporary textbooks are equally valuable in determining the specific qualities of the ideal national identity for today's younger generation in Egypt. By looking into textbooks from both the early twentieth century as well as the contemporary period, this paper tries to dissect the components of the Egyptian national identity "advertised" during both periods by textbook makers. Additionally, this paper compares both national identities to account for factors of continuity and change. What qualities should the ideal Egyptian citizen have as portrayed in these textbooks? What ideologies influence this ideal national identity? What role does religion play in these textbooks? How is the government portrayed? What hidden messages about Egyptian nationalism can be inferred? And what changes have taken place in the portrayal of the ideal national identity from the early twentieth century until today. The research is based on primary sources in the form of High-school textbooks issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Education in the early twentieth century as well as contemporary High-School textbooks issued by the current Ministry of Education.