Today begins Black History Month in which we celebrate the achievements
of Black Americans and take a sobering look at how far we have to go to achieve
equality for people of color.
As a Floridian, I watch with horror as our governor tries to erase black
history in Florida and marginalize people of color, banning books from
classrooms so students can't learn about Rosa Parks Frederick Douglass, or
Martin Luther King Jr., or read books by Toni Morrison. It's gut-wrenching and,
together, we need to raise our voices in opposition.
Ironically, the only thing Governor DeSantis ever did for the black community
was posthumously pardon the Groveland Four and he wouldn't have if it weren't
politically advantageous at the time.
The Groveland Four were four young black men falsely convicted of a
heinous crime in Jim Crow Florida in 1949. Their story is all too familiar but
stands out because Thurgood Marshall chose to represent them in their appeal.
Gilbert King told the story of this shameful chapter in Florida history in his
Pulitzer Prize winning book: Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the
Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America.
After reading this book in college for an assignment, my son Josh
decided to help the families pursue posthumous pardons for the men and, after
four years and many setbacks, he was successful.
If you would like to read about his quest for justice and become
inspired to start your own, I'm giving away FREE EBOOKS of our book:
"Accidental Activist: Justice for the Groveland Four" for the entire
month of February.
Blurb:
Discover the incredible four-year quest for justice for The Groveland
Four, and learn how to pursue your own causes, whatever they may be.
Accidental Activist is a primer for positive action, and a journey
through Florida's past as well as its future. Some of the things you will learn
by reading this book:
Everything takes more time than you think
Nothing ever goes according to plan
Help can come from unexpected places
Time is on your side
Everyone is connected
You can reach your tipping point for success and not even realize it
Your goals can change along the way
Flexibility is key
Let's get started, shall we?
Book link: https://www.amazon.com/Accidental-Activist-Justice-Groveland-Four-ebook/dp/B07Z5TYNT7/ref=sr_1_15?crid=1ZL1Y6Z6J91R0&keywords=barbara+venkataraman&qid=1675270554&sprefix=%2Caps%2C221&sr=8-15
When you start looking around, it seems like we haven't gotten too far.
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