Johns Committee
Let's take a look into the Sunshine State’s Not-So-Bright past.
A darker chapter of our history called the
Johns Committee
Picture it. It's the 1960s and a group of government officials were on a crusade to hunt down anyone who didn’t fit their narrow definition of normal.
In the name of 'morality,' the Johns Committee unleashed relentless crusades of intolerance on LGBTQ+ individuals and groups, leaving behind destruction and devastation in their wake.
In their crusade to eradicate "perversion," they left no stone unturned. Even professors, students, and librarians were caught in the crosshairs.
Because in Florida, knowledge was just as dangerous as love.
By 1963..
39
professors and deans were fired from the University of Florida.
71
public school teachers had their teaching certificates revoked.
300
Over 300 investigations were pending at Florida universities and public schools.
In a disturbing twist, the Johns Committee published:
The Purple Pamphlet
A booklet about homosexuality and citizenship. Funded by state taxes, this pamphlet included images of boys and men. Its deliberate intent was to blur the lines between homosexuality and pedophilia—misleading readers into thinking they were one and the same.
When the Johns Committee realized their idea of 'state-sponsored exploitation’ wasn't a crowd-pleaser, they folded
faster than a beach chair in a hurricane,
disbanding in 1965.
1977
Save Our Children
