Seven-point plan of action issued in response to new academic standards

Special to the Outlook

Led by Rev. RB Holmes, a group of religious leaders, civil rights activists, community organizers and citizens held a virtual press conference Monday to address what they described as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ racist agenda, including

 dismantling of African American studies.

In the most recent move, the State Board of Education approved new academic standards for instruction about African American history. The new standards are designed to guide lessons from kindergarten through high school.

During the press conference, Holmes issued a seven-point plan of action to counteract the governor’s plan to erase Black history. The plan is as follows:

1. We will appoint a “Teach Our History Task Force,” a panel of 12 leading African American teachers, historians, and authors. The task force will be appointed Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at the Florida General Baptist Congress of Christian Education. 
2. Strongly support the 60th year commemoration and continuation of the March on Washington August 26, 2023. 
3. Tell our Black history weekly in Black newspapers led by Bobby Henry and Ben Chavis.
4. Encourage the renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump and his firm to file a lawsuit against the state of Florida’s anemic Black history curriculum. 
5. Announce, in conjunction with the National Action Network and other civil rights organizations, a massive demonstration in Florida against DeSantis’ attack on our freedoms, encouraging tens of thousands of people to join us.
6. Organize Freedom Schools/Academies in 25 Florida cities by the fall of 2024. We will appoint the superintendent by the end of September, 2023.
7. Conduct a 1 Million Voter Registration and Education Plan across the nation led by Equal Ground and other institutions and organizations