Black religious leaders from Florida and throughout the nation will join Feb. 15-16, 2023, to “Stop the Black Attack” on African American history.
The USA TODAY Network in Florida is reporting that a Wednesday Feb. 15 rally will be held in Tallahassee in the state Capitol on the fourth floor rotunda that will be attended by national civil rights and faith leaders.
Another rally will be held the following day in response to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration rejection of a new Advanced Placement course on African American Studies.
“We urge my beloved governor of Florida and the Florida Department of Education to not diminish, dismantle and destroy the teaching of Black studies and do more research about the power of diversity, equality and inclusion,” the Rev. R.B. Holmes Jr., pastor of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Tallahassee, said during a Monday gathering at his church.
“[Students should be] “learning about all people’s history, and not at the expense of erasing and eliminating Black studies.”
Rev. Dr. Joseph Wright, pastor of Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church, said clergy members must decry rejection of the AP course and also other actions by DeSantis and Florida Republicans.
Tallahassee Commissioner Curtis Richardson called the actions “a culture war against African Americans.”
“We’re here today to tell the governor we’re not going to stand by and just let these things happen to African Americans in our state,” Richardson said.
DeSantis’ actions also cost him an ally in Holmes, who was a longtime Republican. Holmes, who is now an independent, delivered the closing prayer at DeSantis’ first inauguration.
“We want to unify people, not divide people,” said Holmes, who dropped DeSantis after the governor’s handling of COVID-19 health guidance, including penalizing those who complied with mask mandates.
Holmes said Rev. Al Sharpton, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, clergy members and Black lawmakers and others are scheduled to speak.
Chris A. Burney, Greater St. Mark Primitive Baptist Church pastor, offered “A special prayer for our governor, oh God, that you will give him a heart, oh God, that will have a heart for all people.”