H.R. 844 — Black History is American History Act

This section states congressional findings on the historical contributions of African Americans to the United States—from West African empires and the transatlantic slave trade (enslaving over 10 million Africans from the mid-15th to 19th centuries, when African Americans comprised nearly 20% of the U.S. population)—through slavery, civil rights advancements (including Brown v. Board of Education on May 17, 1954), and ongoing challenges with discrimination and inequities; recognizes state laws requiring Black history in public school curricula and the role of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (established 2003, opened 2016); and asserts that federal support for national museums can aid historically accurate instruction on African American history as integral to U.S. history.

This section revises the American history and civics education program to require that American history—which funds grants to improve the quality of such education and teaching in elementary and secondary schools—include Black history in (1) the program's stated purpose and teaching requirements (20 U.S.C. 6661); (2) the Presidential and Congressional Academies for American History and Civics, including required partnerships with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture initiative (20 U.S.C. 6662); (3) national activities such as grants for innovative instruction and professional development (20 U.S.C. 6663); and (4) the National Assessment of Educational Progress for history (20 U.S.C. 9622).