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
The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination based on race, color, gender, religion, and national origin, was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 2, 1964, marking the culmination of years of relentless activism by Black civil rights leaders.
We’re proud of our efforts to increase Black voting power in some of the most neglected communities in North Florida.
This 2024 Black History Month, we celebrate "art as a platform for social justice," honoring legendary Florida author Zora Neale Hurston, musicians Ella Fitzgerald and Sammy Davis, and Florida-born Bahamian-American actors Sidney Poitier and Esther Rolle.
Dr. Marvin Dunn is one of the professors who have challenged the Stop W.O.K.E. Act. We are presenting his story in honor of Black History Month this February.
Black history is American history. This Black History Month, we encourage all Floridians to learn of the foundational contributions Black Americans have made to our state and country.
November 2, 2020, marked the 100th anniversary of the 1920 Election Day Massacre in the City of Ocoee, Fla. The racial terror inflicted on Black residents in the city is the deadliest day of election day violence in American history.