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119-hr-844119th CongressWALLET

Black History is American History Act

Sponsored By: Representative Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3]

Introduced

Summary

Integrates Black history into federal American history and civics education programs and assessments. The bill would authorize the Department of Education to award grants and require that Black history be included across academy programs, national activities, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress framework, and to direct Smithsonian and museum resources toward educator and student materials.

Show full summary
  • Teachers and schools: Would gain access to federal grant-funded curriculum and teacher materials that present Black history as a core part of U.S. history. Smithsonian partnerships and the National Museum of African American History and Culture are named as resource partners for classroom use.
  • Students and families: Students would see consistent coverage of Black history topics such as West African origins, the transatlantic slave trade, slavery and abolition, and Black contributions to American culture and institutions. National assessments would measure that content.
  • Presidential and Congressional Academies and national activities: Those programs would be required to incorporate Black history in course content, materials for teachers, and academy activities.
  • Assessments: The National Assessment of Educational Progress framework would explicitly include Black history when defining history content to be tested.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Black history in K-12 programs

The bill would require federal history and civics grants and teacher academies to include Black history. Grant-funded lessons, materials, and national activities would need to cover Black history as part of U.S. history. The Presidential and Congressional Academies would include this content, with help from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. It does not add new funding or change who can apply for these programs.

Black history in national history tests

The bill would add Black history to the U.S. history framework used by the national NAEP assessment. Test designers and educators would need to include Black history in what is measured for U.S. history. It does not change testing schedules or provide new money.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3]

OH • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11]

    OH • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]

    IN • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]

    LA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]

    MO • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Clyburn, James E. [D-SC-6]

    SC • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Ivey, Glenn [D-MD-4]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large]

    VI • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7]

    AL • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13]

    OH • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]

    MS • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2025

  • Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 2/7/2025

  • Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 5/1/2025

  • Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/23/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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