Activism

COMMENTARY: African American Culture Under Attack

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is joining Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign of hate. Eliminating college credit for African American studies is a blatant attempt to rewrite history and roll back the civil rights gains of the past 60 years. This censorship of American history is happening, in part, because these governors feel the truth, quote, “will make some people uncomfortable.”

Published

3 years ago

October 1, 2023

Oakland Post

Honorable Sandré R. Swanson

Defending The Historic Truth

By Honorable Sandré R. Swanson

In the state of Arkansas, high school students will no longer be offered college credit for courses in African American studies.

This appalling decision is supported by legislation signed by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the actions of the Arkansas Department of Education.

Sanders is joining Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign of hate. Eliminating college credit for African American studies is a blatant attempt to rewrite history and roll back the civil rights gains of the past 60 years. This censorship of American history is happening, in part, because these governors feel the truth, quote, “will make some people uncomfortable.”

Their embrace of a white supremacy doctrine is manifesting itself by book banning, and prohibitions on the teaching of African American history in classrooms. The recent denial by the Supreme Court of the need for diversity in our educational institutions supports and spawns these seeds of hate.

The purging of many Black writers, poets, and scholars should help us understand how far this hate movement will go to challenge African American culture.

Removing topics of the historic gains in civil rights and the Black Lives Matter movement from high school and college curriculum is part of this attack and campaign of hate.

This attempt at “Cultural Cleansing,” and campaign to rewrite American history, must be challenged now.

Each generation of like-minded people of all backgrounds has a moral obligation to fight for social justice and challenge this cultural war of hatred. We have a proud legacy of social justice and cultural pride and will defend it.

Note: Former Assemblymember Sandré Swanson served as chief of staff for Congresswoman Barbara Lee, district director for Congressman Ron Dellums, and is a current candidate for the California State Senate. www.sandreswanson.net

If elected Sandré Swanson would be the only African American in the California State Senate from Northern California.