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H.R. 6902 · 116th Congress

Black History is American History Act

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IntroducedPassed one chamberPassed both chambersBecame law (gold)Resolution agreed to (full, dark)Failed or vetoed (gray)

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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 116th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

MFD FudgeSponsor
166 cosponsors · 166 D
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47 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

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.

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · May 15, 2020

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.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Black History is American History Act

Latest action (May 15, 2020): Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Policy area: Education · Origin: House · Introduced: May 15, 2020

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.