Gov. Ron DeSantis' racist ban on an Advanced Placement course in African American studies has backfired. His fascist restrictions on what Floridians are allowed to read and discuss inspired a Chicago book publisher to distribute free e-books on Black history, with a focus on Florida teachers and students — AP or not. This means even more children now than before DeSantis' anti-American censorship will have easy access to these books on American culture that Florida's dictator finds so dangerous.
"The racist governor of Florida continues to escalate his attacks on the freedom to learn and teach history," Haymarket Books said in a press release.
"We at Haymarket stand in solidarity with all those in Florida and across the country who are organizing to resist. We know that books can be dangerous to those in power, especially when they are in the hands of folks who are organizing to fight for liberation. That's why we publish them. That's why they're trying to ban them."
From The Hill:
A Chicago-based publishing house will offer free e-books focused on Black history after the College Board revised its Advanced Placement African American studies course earlier this month. …
The College Board's revisions came after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) refused to allow the class in Florida high schools. In the revised course, the subjects of Black queer studies, intersectionality and activism, the reparations movement and Black scholars associated with critical race theory have been removed. "Black conservatism" was added as a potential research topic.
Haymarket Books will offer the following e-books for free to download: "From Black Lives Matter to Black Liberation" by Keeanga Yamahtta, which explores why the Black Lives Matter movement is necessary; "Black Lives Matter at School: An Uprising for Educational Justice," edited by Jesse Hagopian and Denisha Jones, which details how the Black Lives Matter movement has challenged institutional racism; and "1919" by Eve L. Ewing, a collection of poems depicting the Chicago race riots of 1919.
Haymarket's move reminds me of the professor who was inspired to offer free online high school classes on Art Spiegelman's graphic novel Maus: A Survivor's Tale — a historical Pulitzer prize winning book that documented holocaust survivors — after a terrified Tennessee school board banned the book. Truth and information always finds a way.
