This is the New Yorker Radio Hour, a co-production of WNYC studios and the New Yorker.

Welcome to the New Yorker Radio Hour, I'm David Remnick.

In 1963, James Baldwin gave a speech to a group of teachers,

encouraging them to grapple more honestly

with the realities of American history.

Baldwin said this, you must understand that in the attempt to correct so many generations

of bad faith and cruelty, when it is operating not only in the classroom,

but in society, you'll meet the most fantastic,

the most brutal, and the most determined resistance.

There is no point in pretending that this won't happen.

60 years after Baldwin's speech,

it is still happening, an escalating backlash

against the teaching of black history.

Dozens of states have proposed measures

to restrict teaching the history of race and racism.

In Florida, new state history standards specify for example that

enslaved people might have benefited from slavery.

Florida schools must now teach students about the quote benefit of slavery when

teaching black history. The controversial new education standard passed by the

State Board of Education earlier this week. This follows Governor DeSantis's so-called of education

standards there in Florida.

At the same time, book bands are in Florida. At the same time, book bands are at an astronomical level.

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