Christopher Gibson’s legal problems came as Florida schools were caught up in cultural wars and pro-Palestinian protests.

Black History Month, an annual observance recognized each February, first emerged in the U.S. in the early 20th century, during the post-Civil War Jim Crow era. It wasn’t a full month dedicated to Black history at first. It began as “Negro History Week.”

The three winners, along with top teachers from across the state, will compete for Florida’s Teacher of the Year award this summer.