PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · 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.)
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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.
People & committees
Rep. Fudge, Marcia L. [D-OH-11] · D–OH
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Jul 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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