WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), along with Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Bob Casey (D-PA), announced the introduction of their 1619 Act, legislation that would expand the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s education programming to public school teachers across the country to improve awareness and understanding about African American history and the African American experience in the United States.
“One step toward healing the racial divide in our nation and working to dismantle systemic racism is through education,” said Senator Rosen. “This legislation would create opportunities for public school teachers to partner with the National Museum of African American History and Culture in order to provide comprehensive African American history programs throughout the country. I will continue advocating for educational programs and working towards passing meaningful reform to root out the injustices that have taken far too many Black lives and caused so much suffering.”
BACKGROUND: The 1619 Act would:
- Authorize $10 million dollars over 5 years to support African American History education programs through workshops and professional development activities for public school educators;
- Expand the National Museum of African American History and Culture professional development programs, through activities such as local, regional, and national workshops, teacher trainings with African American history education partners, and engagement with local educational agencies and schools;
- Require the museum to maintain a website where public-school educators can find curriculum materials and best practices on African American history;
- Authorize the United States African American History and Culture Council to help develop the competitive criteria for grants, select the content for the website, and lead fundraising efforts for the program;
- Encourage State education agencies to work with schools and take advantage of the program;
- And prioritize grants to schools with no current African American history education programs.
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