Heritage Foundation President criticizes inaccurate claims on Florida’s African American history curriculum.
Heritage Foundation President Slams False Claims About Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and African American History Curriculum
Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts vehemently criticized the false claims being made about Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the state’s African American history curriculum. According to Roberts, these claims have nothing to do with history and are solely aimed at undermining DeSantis.
1/9 The outcry over Florida’s African American History standards is absurd. That happens to be my academic field as a historian; I use to write extensively—including curriculum standards—on the topic. So I took some time to review Florida’s. The bottom line: they are excellent.
— Kevin Roberts (@KevinRobertsTX) July 28, 2023
The false claims originated when Vice President Kamala Harris visited Jacksonville, Florida, and falsely asserted that “middle school students will be taught that enslaved people benefited from slavery.” Harris seized on a single sentence from the 216-page curriculum that explained how freed slaves utilized the skills they acquired during slavery to improve their lives. The curriculum emphasized that ”instruction includes how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”
The College Board’s AP African American Studies course framework for 2023-2024 also includes a similar item. It acknowledges that “enslaved people learned specialized trades and worked in various professions, such as painters, carpenters, tailors, musicians, and healers. Once free, African Americans used these skills to provide for themselves and others.”
“In my experience as a historian of African American history, Florida’s standards are actually a model for other states,” Roberts stated. “They cover a wide range of topics, confront difficult subjects, and, as history should, highlight the heroic individuals who fought against oppression.”
2/9 In my experience as a historian of African American history, Florida’s standards actually are a model for other states. They are comprehensive in topics covered, do not shy away from difficult topics, and—as history should—use examples of heroic people who fought oppression.
— Kevin Roberts (@KevinRobertsTX) July 28, 2023
Roberts further highlighted that Florida’s standards emphasize the vital contributions of African Americans in building and strengthening American society. They also celebrate the inspirational stories of African Americans who thrived despite challenging circumstances.
4/9 The controversial section—”Instruction includes how slaves developed skills, which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit”—is wholly accurate. Some slaves, in some circumstances, were able to earn money that some even used to purchase their freedom.
— Kevin Roberts (@KevinRobertsTX) July 28, 2023
Roberts clarified that mentioning the “personal benefit” of some slaves in certain instances does not defend or romanticize slavery. Instead, it highlights the incredible resilience of enslaved individuals within an oppressive system. African American historian Dr. William B. Allen, the author of the standards, echoed this sentiment in an interview with NPR’s Steve Inskeep.
“Dr. Allen, in response to criticism about the ‘personal benefit’ phrase: ‘When I look at that language, I see what Booker T. Washington meant when he entitled his autobiography ‘Up From Slavery’ rather than ‘Down In Slavery,'” Roberts added. “Dr. Allen continued: ‘I see what Douglass meant when he described his slave mistress teaching him to read only at the beginning because his owner put a stop to it. But that small glimmer of light was enough to inspire him to turn it into a burning flame of illumination…'”
Roberts concluded by addressing the motives behind the false claims about Florida’s African American History Curriculum.
9/9 This controversy about FL’s history standards has nothing to do with history, which is accurately & beautifully captured. Rather, it’s all about politics and trying to knee-cap one of conservatism’s leaders. God bless @GovRonDeSantis for his courage amid this ridiculous fire.
— Kevin Roberts (@KevinRobertsTX) July 28, 2023
Tim Pearce contributed to this report.
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