It was illegal to teach enslaved people to read. Though savage beatings could result, Black people knew that literacy was a form of resistance that could unlock their bondage and free them from the chains.
The first step to freedom was knowledge, not being lulled to sleep or threatened by physical assaults.
Today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is attempting to take us back to the future. His tactic is to banish our books from the shelves and erase our history from school curriculum. His assault on “wokeness” is a shameless attempt to lull Americans to sleep. But worst, his goal is to divide, conquer and foment hate.
Our African ancestors, snatched from their homelands, were a resourceful people. They did not speak English but extracted knowledge from many places. Some found a way to teach themselves to read, while others relied on the bounty that they carried with them from their native land: astronomy, agriculture, cartography, geography, horticulture, and herbal healing.
Music was another powerful tool for communication of the enslaved people. Unlike the clandestine act of reading, singing was a vehicle of overt communication. They used code-songs to share information about the underground railroad. The most well-known code song was “Follow the Drinking Gourd.” It provided a map to the North and Canada. Much of the information was shared through spirituals that remain engrained in our Black experience.
Teaching about the history of America demands that the most difficult subjects be drawn from truth. The easiest way to teach about the institution of slavery is to start at the beginning. Children of all races benefit when they are given a dose of reality – not fear, lies or political ploys to appeal to racism and inequality.
Yes, the enslaved were kidnapped and taken from their homes. While a travesty and a stain on America’s beginning, that is not the whole story. Most of the stolen Africans survived the Middle passage. They survived the cruel system of slavery and built this country as farmers, workers and artisans. The lesson to all children is not simply the atrocity of slavery, but no matter what adversity they face, they can endure and overcome.
“We have a responsibility to ensure that parents have the means to vindicate their rights when it comes to enforcing state standards.” So says Governor DeSantis, who has managed to turn truth on its head, vilifying a history that gives our children and the nation an opportunity to learn from the sins of the past to create a better path for the future.
Florida’s diversity is its strength. Our elected leaders should be the change agents that ensure everyone within our borders are part of the political process, drawing on history, knowledge and recognition of who we are. Education is a safeguard – not a threat – reinforcing the most fundamental liberty.
When DeSantis took the oath as Florida’s chief executive, he pledged to represent all the citizens of the state. His assault on “wokeness” is erasure of an entire population. It erases ancestry and a proud legacy that we have a God-given right to claim.
DeSantis, we assert your words to concur: “Let’s not allow Florida tax dollars to be spent teaching kids to hate our country or to hate each other… Let’s use those dollars to teach the teacher how to properly teach our children.”
Let’s respect the beauty and possibilities of our past, our people and our legacy.
Juanita Barton is the Co-Chairperson of the Florida Coalition on Black Civic Participation’s Brevard County Chapter.
