This bill authorizes the Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) to support and expand African American history education programs. It defines "African American history" broadly, encompassing the African diaspora, slavery, civil rights, and the innovations and contributions of African Americans to society. The legislation empowers the Director to develop and make available accurate, relevant, and accessible resources, including digital and traveling exhibitions, to promote understanding. The authorized activities include convening experts, providing opportunities for discourse, and engaging the public through programming and educational resources, often with a social justice and anti-bias lens . The Director can also create and disseminate scholarly work, provide language translation for NMAAHC materials, and expand collection acquisition and access processes. A significant focus is placed on augmenting African American history education program activities, such as developing sound pedagogical principles for teaching, providing professional development through workshops and teacher trainings, and engaging with local educational agencies and schools. The bill also allows for the development and maintenance of online resources for educators, students, and families on the NMAAHC website. To ensure accountability, the Director is required to submit annual reports to Congress and the public detailing how funds are used for educational activities, with briefings provided to relevant congressional committees. The bill also includes a Sense of Congress emphasizing the importance of accurate education on the history of minority groups and empowering other Smithsonian museums to develop similar educational materials. Finally, it authorizes appropriations of $4,000,000 annually for fiscal year 2027 and the four succeeding fiscal years to carry out these provisions.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
African American History Act of 2026
USA119th CongressS-3953| Senate
| Updated: 2/26/2026
This bill authorizes the Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) to support and expand African American history education programs. It defines "African American history" broadly, encompassing the African diaspora, slavery, civil rights, and the innovations and contributions of African Americans to society. The legislation empowers the Director to develop and make available accurate, relevant, and accessible resources, including digital and traveling exhibitions, to promote understanding. The authorized activities include convening experts, providing opportunities for discourse, and engaging the public through programming and educational resources, often with a social justice and anti-bias lens . The Director can also create and disseminate scholarly work, provide language translation for NMAAHC materials, and expand collection acquisition and access processes. A significant focus is placed on augmenting African American history education program activities, such as developing sound pedagogical principles for teaching, providing professional development through workshops and teacher trainings, and engaging with local educational agencies and schools. The bill also allows for the development and maintenance of online resources for educators, students, and families on the NMAAHC website. To ensure accountability, the Director is required to submit annual reports to Congress and the public detailing how funds are used for educational activities, with briefings provided to relevant congressional committees. The bill also includes a Sense of Congress emphasizing the importance of accurate education on the history of minority groups and empowering other Smithsonian museums to develop similar educational materials. Finally, it authorizes appropriations of $4,000,000 annually for fiscal year 2027 and the four succeeding fiscal years to carry out these provisions.