Florida town, students resist letting state’s war on Black history be forgotten
Summary
TLDRThe video script delves into Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's contentious educational policies, focusing on their impact on teaching Black history, particularly the Ocoee Massacre of 1920. It highlights the state's rejection of an AP African American Studies curriculum and the introduction of new standards that mandate a controversial narrative, including the personal benefits of slavery and violence against and by African Americans. The script features interviews with teachers, students, and community members of Ocoee, grappling with the state's historical revisionism and their efforts to preserve the truth of their past.
Takeaways
- 😀 Governor Ron DeSantis has been actively involved in shaping education policies in Florida, particularly focusing on anti-woke initiatives and influencing public classrooms.
- 🏛️ DeSantis' policies have led to restrictions on teaching about racism in Florida schools, impacting how teachers plan their lessons and discuss sensitive topics.
- 🏫 The governor's influence extended to New College, a public liberal arts school, where new trustees were appointed with the goal of promoting conservative values.
- 📚 Florida rejected the AP African American Studies curriculum and introduced new standards for teaching black history, which include controversial elements like the 'personal benefit of slavery'.
- 📜 The new curriculum mandates that lessons on race massacres must include acts of violence by both white and African Americans, which some argue distorts the historical context.
- 🏡 The script discusses the historical event of the Ocoee Massacre in 1920, where African Americans were killed for attempting to vote, and the subsequent cover-up and historical erasure.
- 🔍 The script highlights the ongoing struggle of teachers in Florida to teach the truth under the new standards, with some educators refusing to comply with what they see as a mandate to teach lies.
- 🗣️ Community members and educators in Ocoee are actively working to ensure that the true history of the massacre is not forgotten and is taught accurately.
- 👨🏫 Professor Marvin Dunn is highlighted for taking teachers to historical sites to provide them with firsthand knowledge of Ocoee's history, countering the state's narrative.
- 👨🎓 Students in Ocoee are determined to learn the truth about their local history, even if it's not being taught in schools, showing a commitment to understanding their past.
Q & A
What was the focus of Governor Ron DeSantis' campaign during the show's first year?
-During the show's first year, Governor Ron DeSantis was in the middle of a successful re-election campaign and had just begun his war on 'woke' culture.
How did Governor DeSantis' policies impact Florida schools?
-Governor DeSantis' policies led to policing language in Florida schools, making it difficult for teachers to teach about racism if it caused discomfort among students.
What was the significance of New College's hostile takeover by Governor DeSantis?
-The hostile takeover of New College was part of an effort to transform the small public liberal arts school into a model of conservatism, with new trustees appointed to achieve this mission.
What was the controversy surrounding the AP African American Studies curriculum in Florida?
-Florida rejected the curriculum from AP African American Studies and later approved new standards for teaching Black history, including controversial elements like mandating lessons on the personal benefit of slavery.
What historical event in Ocoee is now being taught in Florida schools due to the new curriculum?
-The new curriculum in Florida schools, championed by Governor Ron DeSantis, mandates that students learn about the Election Day riots in Ocoee in 1920.
Why were the events of November 1920 in Ocoee largely forgotten until recently?
-The events of November 1920 in Ocoee, which included a massacre and significant loss of life, were largely forgotten until the new curriculum brought them back into focus.
What is the main concern of the teachers and community members in Ocoee regarding the new history standards?
-Teachers and community members in Ocoee are concerned that the new history standards require them to teach a distorted version of history that obscures the facts of the massacre and the racial violence against Black citizens.
How are teachers responding to the requirement to teach a certain version of history in Florida?
-Teachers are resisting the requirement, stating they will not teach lies and are determined to uphold the truth of history, even if it means defying the state's mandates.
What actions are being taken by the community in Ocoee to address the historical inaccuracies in the curriculum?
-The community in Ocoee is getting involved by organizing town hall meetings, starting petitions, and advocating for factual and balanced history to be taught in classrooms.
What is the students' perspective on learning the truth about their local history in Ocoee?
-Students are determined to learn the truth about what happened in their own backyard, regardless of what the state of Florida says, and recognize the importance of acknowledging past history for the nation to heal.
Outlines
🏛️ Florida's Anti-Woke Movement
The script discusses Governor Ron DeSantis' political activities, focusing on his re-election campaign and his war on 'woke' culture. It details his efforts to influence public classrooms in Florida, aiming to turn them into battlegrounds against progressive ideologies. The script also covers his attempts to control language in schools, particularly around discussions of racism. The narrative then shifts to his influence over New College, a liberal arts school, and the installation of trustees with a mission to promote conservatism. The paragraph concludes with DeSantis' attempts to reshape the narrative around Black History, including the rejection of an AP African American Studies curriculum and the introduction of new standards that controversially mandate discussions on the 'personal benefits of slavery' and require lessons on race-related violence to include acts by both African Americans and others.
🗞️ The Ocoee Massacre and its Aftermath
This section delves into the historical context of the Ocoee Massacre of 1920, one of the worst incidents of election-day violence in U.S. history. It describes the intimidation and threats faced by African Americans who attempted to vote, leading to a massacre that resulted in a significant loss of life and property. The script highlights the efforts of Governor DeSantis to include this event in the school curriculum but with a specific focus on acts of violence by and against African Americans, which some argue distorts the true nature of the event. The narrative includes the experiences and reactions of the local community, including descendants of the victims, who are striving to ensure that the history is accurately taught and remembered.
📚 The Fight for Accurate History Education
The final paragraph addresses the ongoing struggle of teachers and students in Ocoee and across Florida to learn and teach the truth about the Ocoee Massacre, despite the state's controversial educational standards. It features interviews with teachers who are determined not to teach lies and students who feel a responsibility to learn and share their own history. The script also mentions the efforts of community leaders, like State Senator Geraldine Thompson, to involve the community in preserving the historical standards and to send petitions to the Commissioner of Education. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the past to heal as a nation and the determination of the community to fight for a truthful representation of history in education.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Ron DeSantis
💡Woke
💡Anti-Woke Battlegrounds
💡New College
💡Black History
💡Ocoee Massacre
💡Voting Rights
💡Misrepresentation
💡Educational Standards
💡Historical Erasure
💡Community Engagement
Highlights
Governor Ron DeSantis' re-election campaign and his initiation of a war on 'woke' culture.
DeSantis' influence on public classrooms in Florida, turning them into anti-woke battlegrounds.
The impact of DeSantis' policies on teachers planning lessons around restrictions on discussing racism.
The hostile takeover of New College and its transformation into a model of conservatism.
DeSantis' presidential campaign struggling, focusing on his crusade against Black history.
Florida's rejection of the AP African American Studies curriculum.
New standards for teaching Black history, including lessons on the personal benefit of slavery.
The historical events in Ocoee, Florida, and the threat to the town's history education.
The 1920 Ocoee Election Day Massacre and its impact on the African American community.
The forgotten history of the massacre and the efforts to bring it to light.
The new curriculum in Florida schools mandating the inclusion of acts of violence by and against African Americans.
Community efforts to correct historical inaccuracies and protect factual history in education.
Teachers' refusal to teach lies and their commitment to factual history.
Students' determination to learn the truth about their own history, despite state restrictions.
The importance of acknowledging past history to heal as a nation and prevent its repetition.
Transcripts
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>> WHEN THE SHOW FIRST STARTED
>> WHEN THE SHOW FIRST STARTED
A YEAR AGO, RON DESANTIS WAS IN
THE MIDDLE OF A SUCCESSFUL
REELECTION CAMPAIGN FOR
GOVERNOR.
HE WAS JUST BEGINNING HIS WAR
ON WOKE.
AS THE EXTENDED HIS REACH INTO
PUBLIC CLASSROOMS ACROSS
FLORIDA, TRANSFORMING THEM INTO
ANTI-WOKE BATTLEGROUNDS, WE
FOLLOWED.
REPORTING ON THE EFFECT OF HIS
NEW POLICIES.
WHEN GOVERNOR DESANTIS BEGAN
POLICING LANGUAGE IN FLORIDA
SCHOOLS, WE TALKED WITH
TEACHERS ATTEMPTING TO PLAN
LESSONS WHERE THEY COULDN'T
TEACH ABOUT RACISM IF ANY GROUP
OF STUDENTS FEEL DISCOMFORT.
WHEN DESANTIS INITIATED A
HOSTILE TAKEOVER OF NEW COLLEGE,
A SMALL PUBLIC LIBERAL ARTS
SCHOOL IN THE STATE, WE WENT
THERE.
WE SPOKE TO STUDENTS, AND
PARENTS ABOUT THE NEW TRUSTEES,
AND THEIR MISSION TO TRANSFORM
THE SCHOOL INTO A MODEL OF
CONSERVATISM.
ONE YEAR LATER GOVERNOR
DESANTIS IS ATTEMPTING TO
RESCUE HIS STRUGGLING
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN BY
SPOTLIGHTING HIS LATEST CRUSADE
AGAINST BLACK HISTORY.
FIRST, FLORIDA REJECTED THE
CURRICULUM FROM AP AFRICAN
AMERICAN STUDIES.
THEN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
APPROVED NEW STANDARDS FOR
TEACHING BLACK HISTORY,
INCLUDING MANDATING LESSONS ON
THE PERSONAL BENEFIT OF
SLAVERY.
AND REQUIRING THAT LESSONS ON
CERTAIN RACE MASSACRES INCLUDE
ACTS OF VIOLENCE PERPETRATED
AGAINST AND BY AFRICAN
AMERICANS.
SO, ONCE AGAIN, WE WENT BACK TO
FLORIDA, TRAVELING TO THE SMALL
TOWN OF OCOEE.
12 MILES WEST OF ORLANDO, WHERE
THE TOWN'S OWN HISTORY --
AND THE ABILITY TO LEARN ABOUT
IT. THAT IS ALL UNDER THREAT.
THAT IS ALL UNDER THREAT.
>> BASICALLY, A WHOLE BUNCH OF
BLACK PEOPLE WERE KILLED
BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO VOTE IN
THE WHITE PEOPLE DECIDED THAT
THEY WANTED TO KILL THEM AND
BURN OUR HOMES AND STUFF.
IT WAS A REALLY HORRIBLE NIGHT.
I KNOW A LOT OF STUDENTS DON'T
KNOW ABOUT THAT, EVEN THOUGH WE
ARE LITERALLY THERE.
>> I LEARNED ABOUT THE MASSACRE
--
WE WERE OUTSIDE TALKING AND
THEY WERE LIKE DID YOU KNOW
THAT THERE IS A SCHOLARSHIP?
AND WE ARE LIKE WHAT
SCHOLARSHIP?
AND THEY SAID THE MASSACRE.
AND SHE WAS LIKE THEY KILLED
ALL THE BLACK PEOPLE.
AND I SAID THEY WHAT?
AND I'M JUST LIKE THIS IS
SERIOUS.
HOW RACISM GOES SO FAR.
>> IT HAPPENS EVERYWHERE.
>> WE STILL DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
IT.
>> I WASN'T TAUGHT AT ANY
SCHOOL.
I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN
MENTIONING A PEA U.S. HISTORY
MY JUNIOR YEAR.
EVEN IF IT IS AT A SLOWER PACE
IT STILL NEEDS TO BE TAUGHT
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AT SCHOOL.
BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT AND IT
IS OUR HISTORY. ESPECIALLY LIVING IN FLORIDA.
ESPECIALLY LIVING IN FLORIDA.
>> IN NOVEMBER, 1920, THE SMALL
TOWN OF OCOEE WAS THE SITE OF
THE WORST ELECTION DAY VIOLENCE
IN ELECTION HISTORY.
AND WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION,
KKK MEMBERS SEND THREATENING
MEMBERS --
WHO REGISTERED RESIDENTS TO
VOTE.
THE KLAN PROMISED WE SHOULD
ALWAYS --
AND HE WHO INTERFERES MUST FACE THE CONSEQUENCES.
THE CONSEQUENCES.
>> THIS IS SLEEPY HOLLOW GROUND
CEMETERY, WHICH CONTAINS THE
BODIES OF AT LEAST 300 PEOPLE,
BLACK PEOPLE WHO DIED DURING
THE MASSACRE.
MOST OF THEM BURNED TO DEATH
BEYOND RECOGNITION.
SO THEY WERE PUT IN MASS GRAVES
IN THIS SPOT.
AND UNTIL RECENTLY THEY WERE FORGOTTEN ABOUT.
FORGOTTEN ABOUT.
>> THE MASSACRE WAS SCORCHED
PLAY TO AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN
WHO WENT TO THE POST TO VOTE.
IT WAS ABOUT VOTING RIGHTS.
>> THERE WAS A GOOD REASON FOR
WHITE MEN TO BE AFRAID OF BLACK
PEOPLE VOTING BECAUSE A CHANGE THE BALANCE OF POWER.
THE BALANCE OF POWER.
>> SO, THEY WERE REFUSED THE
RIGHT TO VOTE.
>> THE MOB COMES TO THE HOME,
SURROUNDS HIS HOME, TRYING TO
FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND
TO BRING HIM OUT TO PUNISH HIM
FOR ATTEMPTING TO VOTE.
THEY KILLED TWO OF THEM THROUGH
FRIENDLY FIRE.
AND IT GETS BLAMED ON JULY
PERRY.
THERE WERE HEADLINES ALL OVER
THE COUNTRY.
TWO WIGHTMAN KILLED, BLACKS RIOTING OUT.
RIOTING OUT.
>> IT APPEARS UNCLEAR WHO
KILLED THOSE MEN, BUT THOSE
HEADLINES ABOUT THE DEATHS OF
WHITES AT JULY PERRY'S HOME,
DIMINISHING RACIAL TERROR IN
THAT COMMUNITY, THOSE HEADLINES
WOULD HAVE REPERCUSSIONS BOTH THEN, AND NOW.
THEN, AND NOW.
>> HE WAS ARRESTED, AND BROUGHT
INTO ORLANDO, WHERE THE COUNTY
JAIL IS.
THE MOB FOLLOWED HIM AND TOOK
HIM OUT OF THE JAIL AND HUNG
HIM.
AND LEFT HIS BODY HANGING FOR
DAYS.
AS INTIMIDATION SO THAT OTHER
AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO WOULD
CONTEMPLATE VOTING IN ORANGE
COUNTY WOULD SEE WHAT WOULD
HAPPEN.
>> A LOT OF WHAT THE KKK WAS
TRYING TO DO WAS TO SUPPRESS
THE VOTE WITHOUT USING
VIOLENCE.
NORMALLY IT WORKED.
>> THE BLACK DEATH TOLL FROM
THAT DAY IS NOW INCALCULABLE.
THE REMAINING BLACK POPULATION
PLUMMETED AFTER THE MASSACRE.
AND THE EVENTS OF NOVEMBER 1920
WERE LARGELY FORGOTTEN.
UNTIL NOW.
>> SINCE I HAVE BEEN GOVERNOR
WE HAVE ADDED TO WHICH TYPE OF
AFRICAN AMERICAN ISSUES --
WE HAVE MANDATORY INSTRUCTION
ON THE ELECTION DAY RIOTS IN
1920.
>> THE NEW CURRICULUM IN
FLORIDA SCHOOLS CHAMPIONED BY
GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS MANDATES
THAT STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED IN OCOEE.
BUT ONLY IF THAT INSTRUCTION
INCLUDES ACTS OF VIOLENCE
PERPETRATED AGAINST AND BY
AFRICAN AMERICANS.
IT IS AN APPARENT REFERENCE TO
THE TWO WIGHTMAN KILLED AT
PERRY'S HOME, AND IT OBSCURES
THE FACT THAT THE MASSACRE
TARGETED BLACK CITIZENS.
>> THERE HAD BEEN COMMENTS
ABOUT THE DEATH OF THE
STANDARDS.
ANYONE WHO COULD READ THESE
STANDARDS, YOU COULD SEE THE
TOPICS THAT ARE COVERED OUR
IN-DEPTH AND THERE IS NOTHING
THAT IS LEFT OUT.
>> THE SLATE OF FLORIDA AND
DESANTIS IS OFFICIALLY BLAMING
ANTI WHITE VIOLENCE ON BLACKS
IN OCOEE.
IT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
IT IS A LIE.
THE TWO WHITE MEN WHO DIED HERE
DIED AT THE HANDS OF OTHER
WHITE PEOPLE.
SO WE ARE HERE TO TRY TO
CORRECT THAT LIE.
>> IF YOU TAKE A MASSACRE WHERE
A WHOLE TOWN WAS DESTROYED,
HOUSES WERE SET AFIRE, SCHOOLS
WERE SET A FIRE, LODGES,
CHURCHES, PEOPLE WHO RAN OUT OF
THEIR HOMES WERE SHOT AND
KILLED.
AND THOSE WHO DID NOT RUN OUT
OF THEIR HOMES, BURNED IN THE
BUILDING.
AND IF YOU CAN TAKE SOMETHING
LIKE THAT AND HAVE IT FOCUSED
ON VIOLENCE, PERPETRATING BY,
AND AGAINST AFRICAN AMERICANS,
YOU MISSED THE WHOLE POINT.
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> GERALDINE THOMPSON OR TO THE
FLORIDA EDUCATION SYSTEM FOR
MORE THAN 24 YEARS BEFORE SHE
BECAME A STATE SENATOR
REPRESENTING OCOEE.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PARTICIPATION IN THIS SPEAK OUT
TOWN HALL MEETING.
>> THOMPSON IS NOW INVOLVING
THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO PROTECT
THE STATE'S HISTORY STANDARDS.
>> I WANT PETITIONS THAT WE ARE
GOING TO SEND THE COMMISSIONER
OF EDUCATION.
SAYING THAT WE WANT FACTUAL
BALANCE HISTORY POT IN OUR
CLASSROOMS.
>> I LOVE THESE STUDENTS, EVERY
DAY I COME TO SCHOOL, I COME TO
WORK, I'M EXCITED TO TALK TO
THE KIDS.
I'M EXCITED TO TELL THEM WHAT
THEY NEED TO KNOW SO THAT THEY
CAN GROW AND MAKE THIS COUNTRY
BETTER.
BUT THEY WANT ME TO LIE TO
KIDS.
THEY WANT US TO IGNORE AFRICAN
HISTORY PRIOR TO THE SLAVE
TRADE.
THEY WANT US TO TRY TO HIDE
FLORIDA'S UGLY LEGISLATIVE HISTORY.
HISTORY.
I WILL NOT, IN MY CLASSROOM -- IT WILL NOT HAPPEN.
IT WILL NOT HAPPEN.
>> WHILE TEACHERS AND OCOEE AND
ACROSS FLORIDA ARE STRUGGLING
TO TEACH STUDENTS UNDER THESE
NEW STANDARDS, PROFESSOR,
MARVIN DUNN, ISSUING EDUCATORS
OCOEE'S HISTORY FIRSTHAND.
>> I AM HERE BECAUSE I WANTED
TO BRING ACTIVE TEACHERS TO
THESE PLACES IN FLORIDA WHERE
THE STATE REQUIRES SOME TO TELL
LIES TO STUDENTS.
LIKE THAT THERE WERE ANTI WHITE PEOPLE IN OCOEE.
PEOPLE IN OCOEE.
TEACHERS FEEL THEY HAVE TO
TEACH ALIVE BECAUSE THE STATE REQUIRES AT.
REQUIRES AT.
COULD SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT IS
WRONG WITH THIS MARKER?
THE PROBLEM WITH THIS MARKER IS
THAT IT DOESN'T TELL THE TRUTH
OF WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
IT DOESN'T TELL THE TRUTH OF
WHO IS OUT THERE.
THIS IS HOLLOW GROUND.
THIS IS NOT A CEMETERY.
THIS IS A MASS GRAVE.
THIS IS A MASS GRAVE.
WE WILL TAKE QUESTIONS,
COMMENTS, REACTIONS, ANYTHING
FROM ANYBODY.
>> I AM A TEACHER AND I AM
TELLING ALL TEACHERS, AS YOU
KNOW, I WAS NOT HIRED TO TEACH
LIES.
AND I WILL NEVER TEACH FLIES.
I AM NOT A TEACHER WHO WILL
TEACH LIVES. PERIOD.
PERIOD.
>> AS FOR THE STUDENTS AND
SCHOOL IN OCOEE, THEY ARE
DETERMINED TO LEARN THE TRUTH
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THEIR
OWN BACKYARD.
REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE STATE OF
FLORIDA SAYS.
>> EVEN IF OUR HISTORY IS NOT
BEING TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS IT IS
OUR OBLIGATION TO LEAD ABOUT
OUR HISTORY ON OUR OWN.
>> WE HAVE TO DO WHAT OUR
TEACHERS ARE UNABLE TO DO.
WHAT ARE PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS
ARE BEING PROHIBITED FOR A
TEACHING US BY A LAW.
THEIR JOBS ARE AT STAKE, AND
THEY ARE RISKING THEIR --
>> YOU CAN'T PICK AND CHOOSE
WHICH ONES YOU WANT SAYING THAT
HISTORY WAS BEAUTIFUL AND WE
ARE SUCH A GENEROUS PEOPLE, NO.
YOU KILLED PEOPLE, YOU
MASSACRED PEOPLE, YOU TOOK
PEOPLE FROM THEIR HOMES.
THAT IS THE HARD TRUTH.
LIKE IT HURTS.
IT REALLY DOES.
BECAUSE PEOPLE STILL HAVE
WOUNDS.
LIKE YOU HAVE THE GREAT
GRANDCHILDREN SURVIVING,
RECALLING THE TIMES OF TRAUMA.
BUT WE HAVE TO HEAL AS A
NATION.
WE CAN'T HEAL AS A NATION --
IF YOU DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE
PAST HISTORY IS GOING TO KEEP REPEATING ITSELF.
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