Black History is American History Act
Bill journey · stage 2 of 5
Under committee review
What it doesSummary introduced in house (Feb 26, 2021)
Black History is American History Act
This bill requires entities (e.g., institutions of higher education, libraries, and museums), in order to be eligible for certain grants administered by the Department of Education (ED), to include Black history in their teaching of American history. It also requires Black history to be included in tests administered by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
Specifically, the bill mandates the inclusion of Black history as a required component of American history for such entities to be eligible for American History and Civics Academies' competitive grants. These grants support the establishment of (1) Presidential Academies for Teachers of American History and Civics, which offer workshops to teachers of American history and civics to strengthen their knowledge and prepare them to teach in these subjects; and (2) Congressional Academies for Students of American History and Civics, which support high school students in developing an understanding of these subjects. (Currently, Black history is not a required component of American history for either academy.)
In addition, ED must give priority to grant applicants that align their activities with programs and resources of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture.
The bill also requires the inclusion of Black history in tests administered by the NAEP, which measures student academic achievement in various subjects.
What just happenedFeb 26, 2021
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Who’s behind it
- Introduced in HouseFeb 26, 2021
- Feb 26, 2021IntroReferralH11100
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Education and the Workforce Committee - Feb 26, 2021IntroReferralIntro-H
Introduced in House
- Feb 26, 2021IntroReferral1000
Introduced in House