Tennessee Senate approves Black History Act
Sen. Raumesh Akbari: ‘A richer, more complete story of America’
NASHVILLE — Tennessee Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, is celebrating passage of the Black History Act. The legislation, which requires school districts to integrate black history and culture lessons into curriculum for students in grades five through eight, passed the Senate today on a vote of 27–3.
“Today, the Tennessee General Assembly said every child should have access to history lessons that share a richer, more complete story of America,” said Sen. Akbari, the Senate bill sponsor. “The achievements of great Americans — black, white and brown — are accomplishments for everyone to learn from and celebrate.”
The state House passed the companion legislation, sponsored by Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, D-Chattanooga, last week on a vote of 80–2.
Senate Bill 2501 now heads to the governor for a signature.
If signed into the law, the legislation will cause local school districts to provide a course of instruction on black history and culture to students beginning in the fall of 2025.
Sen. Akbari says a fact-based, complete view of history could be an antidote for racial division.
“African Americans are more than just slavery and the Civil Rights Movement,” Sen. Akbari said. “We are still achieving historic firsts — the first black woman to be vice president, the first black woman confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“Black history is American history and these are important milestones, not just for African Americans, but for the country as a whole,” she added.
Sen. Akbari hopes the legislation inspires Tennesseans to learn more about historic figures in state history, too, such as: Wilma Rudolph, an Olympic champion and track and field icon; Samson Keeble, the first African American lawmaker elected to the General Assembly; and Oprah Winfrey, who grew up in Nashville and graduated from Tennessee State University.
