In response to statewide restrictions on teaching race and other subjects in Florida schools, nearly 300 churches across the state have launched Black history lessons for their communities. From Jacksonville to Miami, Black church leaders are inviting community members of all backgrounds to learn about the Civil Rights Movement, Juneteenth, and mass incarceration. This movement aims to counter Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ efforts to limit race-inclusive education, including blocking the teaching of Advanced Placement African American history in high schools and implementing new public school standards that distort the history of slavery.
Faith in Florida, an Orlando-based religious nonprofit, created an online toolkit with resources about Black history to combat these attacks on education. The toolkit includes books, videos, and documentaries, as well as a list of museums focused on Black history and culture. Churches like the Agape Perfecting Praise and Worship Center and New Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church are using these resources to hold monthly Black history lessons, which have gained popularity among community members.
The decision to teach Black history in churches was motivated by the need to prevent external agencies from controlling the narrative of the Black community’s heritage. Reverend Alphonso Jackson of New Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church emphasized the importance of faith in Black history lessons and highlighting the role of faith in Black-led movements throughout history.
This grassroots movement to teach Black history in churches has united the Black church in a way not seen since the Civil Rights Movement. The initiative has received support from various religious organizations, including Muslim and Hindu communities. The Black church has a long tradition of advocating for justice, from speaking out against slavery to organizing schools during the Reconstruction era. Today, Florida’s Black churches are continuing this legacy by providing crucial history lessons that empower their communities.
According to Khalil Muhammad, a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School, Black communities have always prioritized teaching their history in the face of erasure and restrictions in traditional education institutions. Churches like Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, which has a rich history of social justice activism, see the Black history lessons as a continuation of their legacy.
This movement in Florida is part of a larger trend of education restrictions across several states. Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and others have passed legislation limiting the teaching of race in schools. In response, Faith in Florida’s resources are being used by churches beyond Florida, highlighting the importance of preserving Black history education.
By teaching Black history in churches, Florida’s Black communities are reclaiming their heritage and combating efforts to erase their history. Through these lessons, they are empowering their communities with knowledge and strengthening the long-standing tradition of social justice activism in the Black church.
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