I've recently discovered I am a racist.

My historical novel, "Madness: the War of 1812" proves it.

I owe this discovery to those who believe that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has tried to “erase” the true history of slavery.

Their proof is a single sentence in comprehensive and accurate state standards laying out what students should learn about American history, including slavery. The one, “racist” sentence in the 41-page document is: Teach “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”

That’s exactly happened in my historical novel, “Madness: The War of 1812.” In it, I included the story of a family of slaves: Henry, who was trained as a shoemaker, Flora, his wife, his 14-year-old son, Matthew, and 11-year-old daughter, Mattie.

Henry had become a skilled shoemaker while the family was owned by an old widow who died without any direct heirs. Ownership reverted to distant relatives who sold the family at auction. Matthew would become a field hand and stud. Flora and Mattie were bought by a lecherous master who would use them for his personal pleasure and breeding stock.

A retailer purchased Henry and put him to work as a shoemaker, whose reputation as a fine craftsman grew far and wide. Among his customers was the First Lady, Dolley Madison. She sent her protege, Sally, to pick a new pair.

Sally had assumed that Henry was a free black because he was widely regarded as a fine craftsman. But when she discovered he was actually a slave, she was astonished.

“A slave?” Sally said. Her eyes widened. How could this talented man be owned like a sow or a dog? The slaves she had met were laborers, personal attendants, or housekeepers, but this was a craftsman, even an artist. And he could read.

Of course he was black, but she had presumed he was a free man, plying his trade at Kilfoyles. This was a new insight into slavery. Even some abolitionist believed that Africans were a lesser breed, suited for fieldwork and perhaps housework but not for anything mentally taxing.

Obviously, some left-wing critics wouldn’t like my story, because a slave “benefited” from learning a trade that could later sustain him. In the book, Henry escapes, travels to freedom on the Underground Railroad, fights valiantly in the war and is later freed.

All of this I wrote a decade ago, before it became racist to suggest that a slave could learn a craft that would benefit him later on. Those who unfairly condemn DeSantis are inexcusably ignorant about a cause for which they have appointed themselves dedicated advocates. Or, more likely, they know the truth but are demagogues because it serves their purpose.

Despite the truth, the likes of the corporate media—including CNN and MSNBC continue the slander, counting on their base of voters to be astonishing ignorant of a cause they blindly support.

Here are some frustrating examples:

• “In Jacksonville, V.P. Kamala Harris warns of 'national agenda' to whitewash Black history”

• “America Is Putting Up Memorials for a Lynching Victim, While Minimizing Slavery”

• MSNBC host Joy Reid: You can’t even say slavery is bad in the Republican Party anymore,

The other side:

• As someone who has taught American history in a Florida school, I've followed the controversy over the state's curriculum about the so-called "benefits" of slavery with particular interest. The way this issue has been demagogued is nothing short of outrageous.

• “Any attempt to reduce slaves to just victims of oppression fails to recognize their strength, courage and resiliency during a difficult time in American history. Florida students deserve to learn how slaves took advantage of whatever circumstances they were in to benefit themselves and the community of African descendants.”