Florida State Teachers Association

Florida State Teachers Association

Headquarters	Florida
Leader	Edward Daniel Davis
Leader	Gilbert Laurence Porter

The Florida State Teachers Association (FSTA) was an organization of Black educators, administrators, other staff, and parents in Florida. ^[1] Black teachers faced discrimination and underfunded schools. Activist educators in the group advocated for civil rights and educational opportunities. ^[2]

History

It was the largest teacher organization in Florida. ^[3] Hubert Humphrey prepared a speech to the group in 1964. ^[4] The group published the Florida State Teachers' Bulletin.

The Tampa branch helped organize the Turner v Keefe lawsuit targeting lower pay for Boack teachers. ^[5]

Emmett W. Bashful, a political scientist at Florida A& M University, surveyed members about voter registration and voting by group members. ^[6]

The Florida Archives include a photo of the group's kitchen in Tallahassee. ^[7]

Edward Daniel Davis ^[8] and Gilbert Lawrence Porter were leaders in the group. A book discusses Porter's work. ^[9] A Miami elementary school is named for him. ^[10]

School boards closed schools for African Americans and many Black teachers and administrators lost their jobs. ^[11]

References

1. "Black Educators: Florida's Secret Social Justice Advocates, 1920–1960". exhibits.uflib.ufl.edu.
2. Houchen, Diedre Faith (November 26, 2020). "An 'Organized Body of Intelligent Agents', Black Teacher Activism during 'De Jure' Segregation: A Historical Case Study of the Florida State Teachers Association". Journal of Negro Education. 89 (3): 267–281. JSTOR   10.7709/jnegroeducation.89.3.0267 – via ERIC.
3. Emmons, Caroline (2003). "'Not a Single Battle but Rather a Real War': The Fight to Equalize Teachers' Salaries in Florida in the 1930s and 1940s". The Florida Historical Quarterly. 81 (4): 418–439. JSTOR   30150945.
4. Text of Humphrey speec ^{[ bare URL PDF ]}
5. Shircliffe, Barbara J. (February 26, 2012). "Rethinking Turner v. Keefe: The Parallel Mobilization of African-American and White Teachers in Tampa, Florida, 1936–1946" . History of Education Quarterly. 52 (1): 99–136. doi:10.1111/j.1748-5959.2011.00374.x. S2CID   142501177 – via Cambridge University Press.
6. "The Florida Legislative Investigation Committee (FLIC) · A University in Transition: The Long Path to Integration · A University in Transition: The Long Path to Integration". universityintransition.omeka.net.
7. "Florida Memory • Interior view showing kitchen at the Florida State Teachers Association building in Tallahassee, Florida".
8. "Edward Daniel Davis". The Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame.
9. Porter, Dr Gilbert L. "Dr. Gilbert L. Porter". Dr. Gilbert L. Porter.
10. "About Us". mysite.
11. "Teachers: Segregation by Integration". Time. 18 June 1965.

Further reading

• Neyland, Leedell W.; Riley, John W. (1963). The History of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. University of Florida Press. ISBN   978-0-598-20541-4.