Justice Archives: Dr. Tameka Bradley Hobbs
Historian Dr. Tameka Bradley Hobbs discusses the importance of learning, sharing, defending, and preserving Black history, amid ongoing efforts to censor it.
For decades, the ACLU of Florida has been at the forefront of protecting civil rights, liberties, and the fundamental freedoms of Floridians. But in recent years, those freedoms have been under relentless attack by elected leaders who seek to silence, censor, and strip away our rights—particularly within Black communities.
Under Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida has become a testing ground for some of the most aggressive policies aimed at suppressing voting rights, criminalizing protest, censoring Black history in classrooms and workplaces, and restricting reproductive freedom. The state has worked to dismantle diversity initiatives in education, erase discussions of systemic racism, and impose laws that make it harder for marginalized communities to access justice.
The Justice Archives is a living record of these attacks—and our collective fight to resist them.
One of the most insidious threats has been Florida’s campaign to censor discussions about race, gender, and historical truth in education. Over the past several years, lawmakers have passed sweeping censorship laws restricting how educators can teach about slavery, white privilege, and anti-racism. Rather than fostering open discussion, they have sought to impose a state-mandated version of history that erases Black experiences and perspectives.
The “Justice Archives: Liberating Black History” project was created to preserve and uplift the history of Black Americans and Floridians, ensuring that these stories endure despite government efforts to suppress them.
History belongs to the people, and we refuse to let them take it away.
We invite you to join us in this fight against censorship. Read, share, and amplify Black history all year long.
If you are interested in contributing to this project, please email media@aclufl.org
