Florida’s approach to teaching Black history has left many students and families seeking education outside public schools. Charlene Farrington, director of the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum in Delray Beach, leads Saturday classes focused on South Florida’s Caribbean roots, lynchings, segregation, and the Civil Rights Movement.
Faith in Florida has developed a Black history toolkit adopted by over 400 congregations, showing a commitment to filling gaps left by public schools. Despite a 30-year mandate requiring schools to teach African American history, only a dozen districts meet state standards for excellence. The curriculum often focuses narrowly on figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks, primarily during Black History Month.
Sulaya Williams founded an organization in 2016 to teach Black history when her son’s school failed to provide comprehensive lessons. She now runs Saturday programs in public libraries. Her daughter, Addah Gordon, values the experience, saying, “It feels like I’m really learning my culture. Like I’m learning what my ancestors did.”
Florida lawmakers enacted the African American history requirement in 1994 following the Rosewood massacre report and reparations. Historian Marvin Dunn calls this period a “moment of enlightenment” but laments its brevity. Governor Ron DeSantis has since led efforts to restrict discussions on race, blocking an Advanced Placement African American Studies course, claiming it violated state laws.
Brian Knowles, overseeing studies in Palm Beach County, highlights teacher fears about violating regulations, saying, “We’re tiptoeing around what is essentially American history.” Renee O’Connor, a former Black history teacher, stepped away in frustration but has since returned to help community groups develop independent programs.
Tameka Bradley Hobbs, who manages Broward County’s cultural center, emphasizes the importance of community-driven education: “People who are interested in advancing African diaspora history can’t rely on schools to do that.”
With only 30 of Florida’s 67 districts offering Black history courses, advocates push for grassroots solutions to preserve and teach this vital history. As O’Connor puts it, “You have to pivot if it’s not happening in schools.”
Link: AP News
Comentários