,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #daic ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #b1 #bjbj,mr4 ,peters 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,casey1 ,ms4 ,rosen1 ,ms4 ,duckworth1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,ms4 ,baldwin1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,ms4 ,stabenow1 ,ms4 ,sinema1 ,mr4 ,sanders1 ,mr4 ,whitehouse1 ,mr4 ,brown1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,warner1 and ,ms4 ,warren7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,rules and ,administration ,a ,,bill ,to develop and nationally disseminate accurate1 relevant1 and accessible resources to promote understanding about ,african-,american history4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the #afai ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,the ,united ,states has demonstrated a commitment to remembrance and education about the experiences of ,african ,americans in the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,congress has played a critical role in preserving the memory of the ,african-,american experience in the ,united ,states and promoting awareness by recognizing ,african-,american ,history ,month in #aigf to seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black ,americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history44 7#c7 #djj years after the first slaves were brought to ,american shores1 and growing distance of students and their families from this history1 it is important to institutionalize education about the events of ,african-,american history such as slavery1 the ,civil ,war1 ,reconstruction1 ,jim ,crow1 and the ,civil ,rights ,movement1 which led to monumental legislation like the ,civil ,rights ,act and the ,voting ,rights ,act1 among other notable events4 7#d7 ,as intolerance1 bigotry1 and racism are promoted by hate groups1 ,african-,american history education provides a context in which to learn about the danger of what can happen when hate goes unchallenged and there is indifference in the face of the oppression of others4 ,the ,african-,american experience is an important component of the education of citizens of the ,united ,states4 7#e7 ,today1 those who deny the importance of ,african-,american history or distort the true nature of the ,africa-,american experience continue to find forums1 especially online4 ,this denial and distortion dishonors those who were persecuted and murdered1 making it even more of a national imperative to educate students in the ,united ,states so that they may explore the lessons that ,african-,american history provides for all people1 sensitize communities to the circumstances that gave rise to the ,african-,american experience1 and help youth be less susceptible to the falsehood about ,african-,american history and destructive messages of hate that arise from ,african-,american history denial and distortion4 7#f7 ,currently1 #g ,states 7,arkansas1 ,florida1 ,illinois1 ,mississippi1 ,new ,jersey1 ,new ,york1 and ,rhode ,island7 require by law that schools1 in collaboration with special ,k-#ab ,black history oversight committees1 teach students about ,african-,american history4 ,more schools and teachers1 including those in underserved communities1 can and should deliver quality ,african-,american history education4 7#g7 ,for more than #d years1 the ,national ,museum of ,african ,american ,history and ,culture has worked to build and support the field of ,african-,american history education1 and advance the quality and sustainability of ,african-,american history education at the local1 ,state1 and national levels1 by engaging teachers and students across disciplines and grade levels4 7#h7 ,the ,federal ,government1 through support for educational activities of national museums established under ,federal law1 can assist teachers in efforts to incorporate historically accurate instruction on human rights atrocities1 including the ,african-,american experience1 in curricula4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,african-,american history ,the term ,african-,american history means the systematic1 bureaucratic1 ,state-sponsored enslavement of ,africans brought to the ,united ,states1 the era of the ,civil ,war1 ,reconstruction1 segregation1 and the modern experience of ,african ,americans as equal citizens under the law4 7#b7 ,african-,american history education center ,the term ,african-,american history education center means an institution that furthers the teaching and learning about ,african-,american history by offering programs for students and training for teachers and other types of professional leadership audiences4 7#c7 ,african-,american history education program ,the term ,african-,american history education program means a program that has as its specific and primary purpose to improve awareness and understanding of the ,african-,american experience and educate individuals on the lessons of ,african-,american history as a means to raise awareness about the importance of preventing oppression1 hate1 and bigotry against any group of people4 7#d7 ,director ,the term ,director means the ,director of the ,national ,museum of ,african ,american ,history and ,culture4 7#e7 ,eligible program participant ,the term eligible program participant means-- 7,a7 a high school teacher1 a teacher of one of the middle grades1 or a school leader of a high school or a school that includes one of the middle grades 7as such terms are defined in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja772 7,b7 an educational leader or expert who is not employed by a local educational agency 7as defined in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja77 or an elementary school or secondary school 7as such terms are so defined7 that is independent of any local educational agency2 or 7,c7 a prospective teacher enrolled in a program of postsecondary education coursework or preservice clinical education4 7#f7 ,racism ,the term racism means a certain perception of ,african ,americans1 which may be expressed as hatred or discrimination1 and the rhetorical and physical manifestations of which are directed toward ,african-,american or non-,african-,american individuals or their property1 and ,african-,american community institutions and religious facilities1 exacerbating an inequitable distribution of resources1 opportunity1 and power that is detrimental to ,african-,american communities4 7#g7 ,slavery ,the term slavery means the legal institution of human chattel enslavement1 primarily of ,africans and ,african ,americans prior to the passage of the #acth ,amendment to the ,constitution of the ,united ,states4 #d4 ,program authorized 7a7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this ,act #b1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjba and each of the #d succeeding fiscal years4 7b7 ,donations1 gifts1 bequests1 and devises of property ,in accordance with section #e of the ,national ,museum of ,african ,american ,history and ,culture ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #hjr-#c71 and in furtherance of the purposes of this ,act1 the ,director is authorized to solicit1 accept1 hold1 administer1 invest1 and use donated funds and gifts1 bequests1 and devises of property1 both real and personal4 7c7 ,use of funds ,the ,director1 using funds appropriated under subsection 7a7 and resources received under subsection 7b71 and including through the engagement of eligible program participants as appropriate-- 7#a7 shall develop and nationally disseminate accurate1 relevant1 and accessible resources to promote understanding about how and why notable events in ,african-,american history happened in the manner that it did1 which shall include digital resources and may include other types of resources1 such as print resources and traveling exhibitions2 and 7#b7 may carry out one or more of the following ,african-,american history education program activities3 7,a7 ,development1 dissemination1 and implementation of principles of sound pedagogy for teaching about ,african-,american history4 7,b7 ,provision of professional development for eligible program participants1 such as through-- 7i7 local1 regional1 and national workshops2 7ii7 teacher trainings in conjunction with ,african-,american history education centers and other appropriate partners2 7iii7 engagement with-- 7,i7 local educational agencies 7as defined in section #haja of the ,elementary and ,secondary ,education ,act of #aife 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #ghja772 and 7,,ii7 high schools and schools that include one of the middle grades 7as so defined7 that are independent of any local educational agency2 and 7iv7 operation and expansion of a teacher fellowship program to cultivate and support leaders in ,african-,american history education4 7,c7 ,engagement with ,state and local education leaders to encourage the adoption of resources supported under this ,act into curricula across diverse disciplines4 7,d7 ,evaluation and research to assess the effectiveness and impact of ,african-,american history education programs1 which may include completion of the report required under section #h4 7d7 ,applications ,the ,director may seek the engagement of an eligible program participant under subsection 7c7 by requiring submission of an application to the ,director at such time1 in such manner1 and based on such competitive criteria as the ,director may require4 #e4 ,online ,african-,american history education resources 7a7 ,website ,the ,director shall maintain on the website of the ,national ,museum of ,african ,american ,history and ,culture a special section designated for ,african-,american history education resources to improve awareness and understanding of ,african-,american history and educate individuals on the lessons of the ,african-,american experience as a means to raise awareness about the importance of preventing hate and bigotry against any group of people4 ,the website and resources shall be made publically available4 7b7 ,information distribution ,the ,director shall distribute information about the activities funded under this ,act through the website of the ,national ,museum of ,african ,american ,history and ,culture1 and shall respond to inquiries for supplementary information concerning such activities4 7c7 ,best practices ,the information distributed by the ,director shall include best practices for educators4 #f4 ,national ,museum of ,african ,american ,history and ,culture ,council ,the ,national ,museum of ,african ,american ,history and ,culture ,council established under section #e of the ,national ,museum of ,african ,american ,history and ,culture ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #hjr-#c71 shall have governance responsibility for the programs and activities carried out under this ,act in accordance with the ,national ,museum of ,african ,american ,history and ,culture ,act 7#bj ,u4,s4,c4 #hjr74 #g4 ,engagement of eligible program participants 7a7 ,in general ,an eligible program participant shall be engaged at the discretion of the ,director to participate in ,african-,american history education program activities authorized under this ,act and approved by the ,director pursuant to an application described in section #d7;d74 7b7 ,engagement period ,engagement of eligible program participants under this ,act shall be for a period determined by the ,director4 7c7 ,priority ,in engaging eligible program participants under section #d1 the ,director shall give priority to applications from such participants who work for or with a local educational agency1 or a school that is independent of any local educational agency1 that does not1 at the time application is made1 offer any ,african-,american history education programming4 #h4 ,annual report ,not later than ,february #a of each year1 the ,director shall submit to ,congress a report describing the activities carried out under this ,act4