Politicians, academics, historians, and activists gathered at D.C.’s Walter E. Washington Convention Center Friday morning for a panel sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus to both celebrate the progress of Black history and bring light to what they said were attacks on the subject, especially in Florida.
The Sunshine State was well-represented in a discussion entitled: “Stay Woke Africans in America: Preserve our History.” The panel was hosted by Rep. Frederica Wilson of South Florida, a former educator and member of the Miami-Dade County School Board.
“I slept, worked, walked, and talked African American history,” Wilson said in her opening remarks. “Today, this is a call to action to all Africans in America to wake up and teach your history, learn your history, and preserve your history.”
Part of the panel discussion were two Florida professors: Marvin Dunn, professor emeritus of psychology at Florida International University, and Reginald Ellis, professor of history at Florida A&M University.