Keywords

Black teachers, Florida State Teachers Association (FSTA), Racial Proletarianization, Civil Rights, Labor Activism, Professionalization

Abstract

Histories of Black teachers have often portrayed them as passive actors in the labor and civil rights movements of the twentieth century. While recent scholarship has highlighted the agency of Black educators, few studies have examined how their professional networks facilitated both labor activism and civil rights strategies. This thesis examines how Black educators in Florida leveraged the Florida State Teachers Association (FSTA) to challenge the racialized economic, political, and social structures of the South by organizing equal pay campaigns with the support of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). From the late 1930s to the early 1940s, Black educators organized county by county through their local teaching associations to demand pay and professional equity with white principals and teachers. Following these campaigns, they continued to fight for equality and equity in schools statewide. By the mid-twentieth century, the FSTA became the leading professional organization for Black educators in the state and helped cultivate the next generation of civil rights leaders. When the association merged with the all-white Florida Education Association (FEA) in 1966, members acted deliberately to protect their collective identity and professional interests, ensuring that their work would endure.

Drawing on FSTA and FEA records, meeting minutes, NAACP correspondence, and newspaper articles, this research demonstrates that Florida’s Black educators were not merely participants but architects of a labor-informed civil rights movement. By bridging professionalism, grassroots organizing, and litigation, they challenged systemic inequities and laid the foundation for the modern Civil Rights Movement in the state.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Fall

Committee Chair

Cassanello, Robert

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

History

Format

PDF

Identifier

DP0029732

Document Type

Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

Download

Share

COinS