NBMBAA 2023 Conference Guide - 76

Unraveling the Threads of Progress:
Tackling the Setbacks in the Fight for Equality
Dr. David Canton
In a country that aspires to embrace diversity and inclusivity, it is disheartening to witness the persistence of setbacks that
challenge the advancement of racial equality. Dr. David Canton, the distinguished Dean of African American Studies at the
University of Florida, delves into the intricate tapestry of contemporary challenges in his rousing account. With keen insight,
he addresses the tumultuous path of affirmative action and the alarming trend of rewriting, or rather, the whitewashing of Black
history. As a seasoned scholar and advocate for equitable education, Dr. Canton's contribution sheds light on the complex interplay
between policy, perception, and the ongoing struggle for racial justice.
I
n January 2023, The Florida Department of Education
(FDOE) rejected an AP African American Studies course
because topics such as Black Lives Matter, reparations, Black
queer theory, and intersectionality violated Florida law and
promoted a " left-wing ideology " that was anti-American. The
FDOE claims this curriculum " lacks educational value, " but this
argument is clearly disingenuous. What does that mean? Where
is the evidence? The FDOE claims to support schools offering
African American history courses, but will students be exposed
to a softened and sanitized version of African American history
or exposed to a critical, complex, and nuanced understanding of
the past? In late July, the state of Florida released the African
American history curriculum standards that stated: " Slaves
developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their
personal benefit. " The inference speaks for itself: The AP African
American Studies course originally presented is " anti-American, "
but the state's new African American history standard is not just
acceptable but presents a " pro-American perspective. " The AP
African American Studies curriculum is just as valuable as AP US
History, AP Computer Science, and all other AP courses. But only
if that course teaches the full truth.
The state's sanitized version of African American history is
rooted in American exceptionalism. It supports the notion that
racism ended in 1965 and is not systematic or institutionalized.
The sanitized version highlights the accomplishments of African
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Americans but views slavery and Jim Crow as a blip in the long
history of American progress. The sanitized version interprets
Martin Luther King, Jr. as a colorblind advocate and not a complex
individual who supported affirmative action and a guaranteed
income. This feel-good history is designed to make students " good
citizens " but not critical thinkers. After all, people who ask critical
questions about society demand answers from their elected officials.
An African American history course ought to expose students to
the life, history, and culture of people of African descent from an
African American perspective. In other words, students should get
an in-depth view of what W.E.B. DuBois refers to as " life behind
the veil " and see how institutions and organizations such as the
Divine 9, Black Greek letter organizations, and various churches
continue to struggle for equality. An African American history
course using proper evidence demonstrates how institutional
racism continues to maintain two societies that are separate and
unequal. In addition, these courses identify the contradictions
between American ideology and public policy. Additionally, while
African American history highlights the accomplishments of Black
leaders, it must also expose students to the internal debates and
ideological differences among those Black leaders.
In 2019, the nation celebrated the 400th anniversary of the first
twenty Africans arriving in British North America, but African
American history started before 1619. And Africans lived in a

NBMBAA 2023 Conference Guide

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