Black History is American History Act
2/28/2025, 5:23 AMSummary of Bill HR 844
Bill 119 hr 844, also known as the African American History Education Act of 2021, aims to authorize the Secretary of Education to provide grants to eligible entities for educational programs that focus on the history of African Americans in the United States. These programs would cover topics such as the role of African Americans in the settling and founding of America, the economic and political factors that led to the development, institutionalization, and eventual abolition of slavery, and the impact of slavery on all Americans.Additionally, the educational programs funded by this bill would explore the exploration and expansion of America, as well as the contributions of African Americans to the development and enhancement of American life in various areas such as United States history, literature, the economy, politics, body of laws, and culture.
The goal of this bill is to ensure that the history and contributions of African Americans are properly recognized and integrated into educational curricula across the country. By providing grants to support these educational programs, the bill aims to promote a more comprehensive and inclusive understanding of American history and culture.
Congressional Summary of HR 844
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.
