Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Black History Month begins, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez joined Senator Cory Booker (both D-N.J.) in introducing the African American History Act. This legislation, companion of the version introduced by U.S. Representative Jamaal Bowman’s (D-N.Y.-16), provides important resources to strengthen opportunities to educate the American public about the richness and complexity of African American history, the impacts racism, white supremacy, and the struggle for justice have had on the fabric of America.
“In a time when millions of Americans are still confronting the despicable impacts of racism, is more important than ever that we promote the education on the history of African Americans,” said Sen. Menendez. “As we begin this year’s Black History Month, the best way we can honor the heritage and countless contributions of African Americans is by ensuring the rich history of this community is widely accessible and that no one forgets the ongoing struggle for justice and equality.”
“The story of Black people in America is inextricably linked to the story of America. This story must be reckoned with so that we can honestly reflect upon our nation’s past moral wrongs and the long and ongoing quest for justice that has been undertaken by Black Americans,” said Sen. Booker. “As we begin Black History Month, I am proud to introduce this legislation that will invest in initiatives to make African American history education programs more accessible to the public, help educators incorporate these programs into their curriculum, and develop additional resources focused on Black History for students and families to engage with.”
The legislation would invest $10 million over 5 years in the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) to support African American history education programs that are voluntarily available for students, parents, and educators.
This bill will help the NMAAHC expand and improve upon their work in a variety of ways, including:
- Developing and maintaining a variety of accessible resources to promote an understanding of African American history. This includes a collection of digital content, housed on the NMAAHC website, to assist educators, students, and families across the country in teaching about and engaging with African American history
- Engaging with the public through programming, resources, and social media to increase awareness of African American history through a social justice and anti-bias lens
- Convening experts and creating and disseminating scholarly work
- Translating new and existing NMAAHC work into multiple languages
Endorsing organizations include the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Education Association (NEA), National Women’s Law Center, Color of Change, United Negro College Fund (UNCF), Network for Public Education, Alliance for Quality Education, SchoolHouse Connection, American Psychological Organization, and CLASP
“Let’s start with a basic fact: You cannot understand American history without knowing African American history,” said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers. “Some people are making this a wedge issue – even bullying teachers and trying to stop us from teaching students accurate history. This bill will make sure every student learns about the history and contributions of African Americans throughout the years. And every educator should have the training and tools they need to engage and teach African American history.”
The Senate bill is also sponsored by Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).
A section by section of the bill can be downloaded HERE.
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