I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 971 
To direct the Director of the National Museum of African American History 
and Culture to conduct a study on Black history education efforts in 
public elementary and secondary schools, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 9, 2023 
Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN (for herself, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. MCGOV-
ERN, Mr. NADLER, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. 
COHEN, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. NORTON, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. JOHNSON 
of Georgia, Mr. CARSON, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, and Mr. CARTER of Lou-
isiana) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on House Administration 
A BILL 
To direct the Director of the National Museum of African 
American History and Culture to conduct a study on 
Black history education efforts in public elementary and 
secondary schools, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Black History Matters 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. STUDY AND REPORT ON BLACK HISTORY EDU-
CATION. 
(a) STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—During the period described 
in paragraph (2), the Director of the National Mu-
seum of African American History and Culture (re-
ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘Director’’) shall conduct 
a study on Black history education efforts in public 
elementary and secondary schools. 
(2) PERIOD.—The Director shall, with respect 
to the study required under paragraph (1)— 
(A) begin such study not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act; and 
(B) complete such study not later than 3 
years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—In conducting the study under sub-
section (a), the Director shall— 
(1) identify States and local educational agen-
cies that require Black history education as part of 
the curriculum taught in public elementary and sec-
ondary schools; 
(2) identify States and local educational agen-
cies that do not require Black history education as 
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part of the curriculum taught in public elementary 
and secondary schools; 
(3) assess the quality of Black history edu-
cation provided by public elementary and secondary 
schools, including through the qualitative and quan-
titative analysis of such indicators as— 
(A) in-class discussion; 
(B) educational activities conducted out-
side the classroom, including homework assign-
ments; and 
(C) project based learning; 
(4) assess the types and quality of instructional 
materials used to teach students about Black his-
tory; 
(5) examine the duration and comprehensive-
ness of any Black history-related courses or lessons 
provided by public elementary and secondary 
schools; and 
(6) analyze the approaches used by such schools 
to assess students’ knowledge of Black history, in-
cluding the use of traditional and nontraditional as-
sessments. 
(c) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Following the completion of 
the study under subsection (a), the Director shall 
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prepare and submit to Congress a report on the re-
sults of the study. 
(2) DEADLINE
FOR
SUBMITTAL.—The report 
required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted not 
later than 180 days after the completion of the 
study under subsection (a)(2)(B). 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act: 
(1) ESEA TERMS.—The terms ‘‘elementary 
school’’, ‘‘local educational agency’’, ‘‘secondary 
school’’, and ‘‘State’’ have the meanings given those 
terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(2) BLACK
HISTORY.—The term ‘‘Black his-
tory’’ means the study and stories of Black life in 
the United States and around the world, with a spe-
cific focus on the triumphs and struggles (including 
political, social, and cultural achievements) of Afri-
can Americans throughout the United States. 
(3) BLACK
HISTORY
EDUCATION.—The term 
‘‘Black history education’’ means educational activi-
ties that are specifically intended— 
(A) to improve students’ awareness and 
understanding of the history of people of Afri-
can descent, especially as it relates to United 
States history; 
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(B) to educate students on the lessons of 
chattel slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow laws, 
and the Civil Rights movement as a means to 
raise awareness about the importance of pre-
venting genocide, hate, and bigotry against any 
group of people; and 
(C) to study the history of racism, its deep 
historical roots, the use of discrimination and 
propaganda that target the Black people, and 
the evolving nature of white supremacy over 
time. 
(4) PROJECT
BASED
LEARNING.—The term 
‘‘project based learning’’ means a teaching method 
through which students learn by actively engaging in 
real-world and personally meaningful projects. 
Æ 
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