Trump cut down the Humanities Fund in Florida. Bad movement.

Founded in 1973 as the Florida Humanities Foundation, the nonprofit organization is currently headquartered at the University of South Florida. Petersburg has been serving and admiring Floridians for over half a century. The Florida National Fund for Humanities, the Florida Humanities’ main source of funding last week announced that the Trump administration had cancelled federal grants targeting arts and cultural groups across the United States. These funds have been allocated to Trump’s American Heroes Project.

The Florida Humanities serves Floridians in so many positive ways. The organization funds poets, scholars, independent writers and artists who can fuss about Florida’s heroes, environment and culture. Simply put, Florida Humanities is a state storyteller. The award-winning magazine, Forum, captures the state’s energy and vitality. The issues with the previous themes include the Florida Dream, World War II, the land of citrus, the crackers, the land we love, the noise of joy, the bay, the water, the state of inspiration, and what does it mean to be Floridians? Forums can be read in most public libraries.

Florida Humanities supports a popular series of speakers. In the past, the authors have spoken about a variety of topics, including Bollett, slavery, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, the controversial Cross Florida Berge Canal, and the life of St. Augustine, Spain. Florida Humanities also supported Vietnamese veterans by telling stories of heroism, sacrifice and coordination.

The Florida Humanities holds “gatherings” that are usually held in the community from beaten tracks. Previous gatherings included Okeechobee, Fernandina and Everglades City.

As Floridians approach America’s 250th birthday, we must understand the past. But we live in a cancellation culture. The novelist warned us about tyranny. In George Orwell’s dystopian novel, published in 1949, state domination is absolute. My brother always watches. Perhaps in the best sentences that highlight why free press and public education are important, the protagonist Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth.

Gary R. Mormono is a professor of history at the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg. honor.