Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) assistant professor William Guzmán, Ph.D., is set to lend his expertise to the Florida Education Commissioner’s Task Force on African American History.
Currently serving as a Faculty Senate member and professor of history and African-American studies, Guzmán said he is proud to have been chosen for this great undertaking, citing that much work needs to be done.
“Often, people who advocate for African American studies do not have a voice,” Guzmán said. “Right now, because of the current political climate, people are not valuing African American history as they should, and that needs to change.”
Last October, national attention was focused on “politically correct” passages in a McGraw-Hill Education history textbook that referenced Africans who were brought to the United States as “workers” rather than slaves.
Pam Stewart, the Florida education commissioner, oversees the African American History Task Force to enforce Florida Statute 1003.42 (2)(h), which requires Florida schools to appropriately instruct students on all aspects of African-American history, including the development of slavery, slave passages, the enslavement experience, and the contributions of Africans to American society.
Guzmán stressed the importance of the task force. He explained that some schools within Florida’s 67 counties were not obeying the laws surrounding African-American education.
“Largely populated states like Texas, California, New York, and even Florida with power and sway can potentially shift which books are being purchased by other states,” Guzmán said. “If you can control how language is being outlined in books, you could really impact an entire nation.”
He added, “So it is now my job to remind various counties that it is mandated by the state to infuse accurate African-American history into the curriculum, giving counties a variety of training options to professionally develop their own teachers.”
Guzmán’s appointment should come as no surprise to those familiar with his background. He earned a bachelor’s degree in African American Studies from FAMU, a master’s degree in social science education from Florida State University, and a doctoral degree in history from the University of Texas – El Paso.
Guzmán’s professional career at FAMU began as an adjunct professor in 2005. He has since filled roles as the director of Black Diaspora Culture and associate director of the Black Archives. Guzman is a strong advocate for learning about the past in order to shape the future.
“We should look to history for inspiration to empower us with the knowledge needed to move forward and finally to honor the memory of our ancestors so we can develop the resiliency and resistance to overcome obstacles,” Guzmán said.