Florida A&M University is scrambling to contain backlash after reports that a student was told she couldn’t use the word “Black” on a Black History Month flyer. Click Orlando reported that third-year law student Aaliyah Steward said she was instructed to remove the word from promotional material for the FAMU Black law students association—or replace it with an abbreviation. University leadership quickly moved to reverse that guidance. In a statement sent to students on Monday, obtained by The Daily Beast, FAMU President Marva Johnson said the use of the word “Black” or the phrase “Black History Month” does not violate Florida Senate Bill 266 or Board of Governors Regulation 9.016. The confusion appears to stem from a misreading of the law. Cecil Howard, associate provost and interim dean of the law school, said in a statement to students that the original directive was “an overly cautious interpretation” which went beyond what the diversity, equity, and inclusion restrictive legislation requires at Florida public universities. Johnson said the university is now changing protocol following the error. Moving forward, her office will oversee communications tied to event-related materials to prevent similar incidents.
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