NAACP DeKalb Remembrance Project produced a Black History Month program, Position paper in opposition to HB 1084, Created Black History reading list for Children, Youth, and Adults, and donated African American books to the DeKalb Public Library in direct opposition to the Governor and legislators that passed the HB1084 law.
The theme of NAACP DeKalb’s 2023 Black History Month Program was “Our History is Under Attack—Save Our History”. The purpose of the program was to educate the public, law makers and especially educators about Georgia’s HB 1084 and other activities that the very conservative Georgia legislature and Governor Brian Kemp have taken to rewrite, revise, and eliminate truth about Black history. The program was broadcast live (February 4, 2023.) to the community and can be assessed on NAACP DeKalb’s YouTube Channel.
The program was held on February 4, 2023. It consisted of a panel which included: State Representative Mary Margaret Oliver who spoke on how HB 1084 came about; Attorney Craig Goodmark, lead attorney in the GAE suit against Georgia over HB 1084 and represents several HB 1084 related fired educators;
History Teacher Jeff Corkill who spoke on how these laws are affecting teachers; Teacher; Anthony Downer, a teacher that was fired because of the Georgia law, spoke on how these laws are affecting the teaching of Black history; Teacher, parent and activist Deidre Wright who spoke on what we can do to combat the anti-truth Black history movement; former Decatur High School students (now college students) Koan Meighoo and Julian Fortuna who gave students’ perspective on being denied history’s truth and the effects of HB 1084 on students.
A Question-and-Answer session was held at the end of the program and members of the community were able to call and text in their questions. As a result of the program, we developed and delivered to the DeKalb Board of Education an NAACP DeKalb Position Paper; Donated Black History Books to the DeKalb School District Libraries; and our committee attended the school board meeting in support of teachers and the teaching of truth in public schools.
NAACP DeKalb’s Remembrance Project Committee believes any attempt to eliminate or rewrite Black History is a form of psychological lynching and a form of racial terrorism. This anti-Black history movement is hurting our children. Little discussion on the movement had been presented to the Black community. This program was deliberately designed to educate the community, to stimulate discussion, to empower the community with the truth about what the Georgia Legislature and Governor are doing. Above all our committee felt that this knowledge would empower the community, NAACP membership, and supporters to take action against erasing Black History in schools. The Remembrance Project Committee also compiled a list of Black History Books that could be used in class projects.
YouTube video
(43) NAACP DeKalb Black History Month Panel Discussion – Our History Is Under Attack – YouTube
(43) NAACP DeKalb Remembrance Project Recognized at GA Senate Chamber – YouTube
NAACP DeKalb – Rep Mary Oliver Black History Panel Feb. 4, 2023 – YouTube
Black History Book List
Black History Activities – NAACP Dekalb County Branch #5192
Press release dated
NAACP-Press-Release-Black-History-Month-2023vv-acf.pdf (naacpdekalb.org)
Position Paper
030-NAACP-DeKalb-position-paper-on-HB1084-1.pdf (naacpdekalb.org)
