Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
While the devastating impact of slavery can never be fully comprehended by those who have never experienced its brutality and inhumanity, most Americans recognize the horror of our country’s Original Sin. Slavery in the U.S., which persisted for well over two centuries, has had a devastating impact on millions of Black people that reverberates to this day.
And yet, in the face of the endless stories and statistics detailing the atrocities of slavery in America, there are some who challenge its severity. In July, Florida’s State Board of Education approved new standards for social studies curriculum for middle-grade students that will include language such as: “slaves developed skills, which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit” and “acts of violence perpetrated against and by African Americans.” So, important moments in their own state’s history, such as the Ocoee massacre in 1920 — in which a white mob attacked a group of Black residents who were trying to vote and killed at least 50 people — will be presented as both-side-ism.
While the decisions in Florida are indefensible and upsetting, it is unsurprising. The Sunshine State has led the charge in defending white fragility by silencing the stories, perspectives, and lived experiences of communities of color. Earlier this year, the DeSantis administration made headlines by…
Read the full article here
