The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks at the National Action Network's Martin Luther King, Jr., Day breakfast, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
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Rev. Al Sharpton is standing up and speaking out against Florida’s governor after he announced he wants to ban an AP course on African-American studies.
Sharpton led a group of faith leaders, elected officials, students, and parents in a march to the state capitol in Tallahassee. He gave his own history lesson saying every racism and bigotry inflection point in this country has been about education.
FILE – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks after being sworn in to begin his second term during an inauguration ceremony outside the Old Capitol on Jan. 3, 2023, in Tallahassee, Fla. DeSantis’ administration has blocked a new Advanced Placement course on African-American studies from being taught in high schools, saying the class violates state law and that it is historically inaccurate. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
During the rally, Sharpton said, “You should have left us alone. Now you have brought us all together.”
The civil rights leader is calling for a unified voter registration drive to get this kind of thinking out of Tallahassee and prevent it from spreading to other states.
“If you would study history, governor, you would’ve known to mess with us in education always ends to your defeat. Because if we can’t protect education in Florida, it’ll jump to Alabama. It’ll jump to Texas.”
White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris is a native Washingtonian and University of South Carolina alumna. Her passion is mentoring young adults by teaching community empowerment and media education. She is an NAB member and board member of the Thurgood Marshall Center and was presented the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for contributing more than 4,000 hours of community service under the Obama Administration.