NAACP posts Florida travel warning, warns DeSantis' policies 'hostile to Black Americans'

TALLAHASSEE —  The NAACP Board of Directors issued a travel advisory for Florida Saturday, claiming Gov. Ron DeSantis' policies were undemocratic and "hostile to Black Americans."

“Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals," the travel advisory reads. "Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color.” 

The travel advisory had been proposed to the national Board of Directors by the NAACP’s Florida State Conference.

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Jeremy Redfern, the governor's press secretary, responded to the announcement via email with a single sentence, "This is a stunt."

The governor's office responded similarly when the League of United Latin American Citizens, the nation's largest and oldest Hispanic organization, issued a Florida travel advisory a few days ago. And last month when LGBTQ civil rights group Equality Florida and the Florida Immigrant Coalition, made up of more than 65 organizations, both warned people away from the state.

Another aide on Twitter shared the governor's post about record Q1 tourism results, which pointed to the largest volume of visitors ever recorded in a single quarter.

"But what about all of the Democrat travel advisories?" he asked.

In its travel advisory, the NAACP blasted "DeSantis’ aggressive attempts to erase Black history and to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in Florida schools."

The governor, who rose to prominence due to his COVID-19 policies and has elevated his name brand further with a polarizing but attention-grabbing agenda, is poised to make a formal presidential campaign announcement in the coming days.

A part of that agenda: The governor recently signed into law a ban on state funding for DEI programs at Florida's public universities.

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"What this bill is saying is, you know, some of these niche subjects like critical race theory, other types of DEI-infused courses and majors…" DeSantis said. "Florida's getting out of that game. You want to do things like gender ideology? Go to Berkeley. Go to some of those other places."

While DeSantis has characterized such programs as "trendy" and "woke," DEI initiatives have existed on college campuses and in workplaces for years. In fact, in the wake of the 2020 police murder of George Floyd, the Board of Governors instructed the state universities it oversees to bolster anti-racism and social justice efforts, including DEI programs.

DeSantis' administration also controversially rejected the College Board's Advanced Placement African American Studies class.

"Let me be clear – failing to teach an accurate representation of the horrors and inequalities that Black Americans have faced and continue to face is a disservice to students and a dereliction of duty to all,” said Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO, in a statement.

USA Today Network-Florida government accountability reporter Douglas Soule is based in Tallahassee, Fla. He can be reached at DSoule@gannett.com. Twitter: @DouglasSoule.