A Florida A&M University College of Law student said she was told to strip the word “Black” from promotional materials for a Black History Month event — a move she called censorship at a Historically Black College and University.

Aaliyah Steward, a final-year law student who helps run the Black Law Students Association, told ClickOrlando that during the office approval process, campus staff flagged language including “Black,” “affirmative action,” and “women,” forcing organizers to abbreviate or rework copy. “We couldn’t use the word ‘Black’ in Black History Month. We would have to abbreviate it,” Steward said, calling the direction “insane” given FAMU’s HBCU status. 

FAMU’s initial public statement pushed back, saying the university is following state law and Board of Governors guidance on the use of state funds and DEI programming. The university told ClickOrlando it was in “full compliance” with state rules. Critics say those restrictions are obviously a part of a broader national backlash over DEI, and are having a chilling effect on campus life, especially at HBCUs, where celebrating Black heritage is central to institutional identity. 

Students told reporters they resubmitted materials and are awaiting clarity, while advocates warn this episode is symptomatic of larger cultural and political fights over how race and history are taught at public universities. The line between permissible speech and policies tied to funding is complicated. Schools must navigate state restrictions while protecting students’ expressive rights. The optics of asking an HBCU to avoid the word “Black” during Black History Month fuels outrage in a community already watching education policy closely. 

Organizers are pushing forward with events and asking for transparency from administrators. “We want to celebrate our history,” Steward said. “That shouldn’t be something we have to justify.”