400 Years of African American History Commission Writing A New History

Public Law 115-102 On December 22, 2017, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D- VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA) applauded final Senate passage of their bipartisan 400 Years of African American History Commission Act – legislation establishing a National Park Service commission to commemorate the 400th anniversary in 2019 of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans into English Colonial America, marking the beginning of a new African American culture. 

Public Law 115-102 Following the introduction of similar legislation by Representatives Bobby Scott , Don Beyer, and G. K. Butterfield in the House, on January 8, 2018, Public Law 115-102 was signed into law by President Donald J. Trump.

Our charge To encourage civic, patriotic, historical, educational, artistic, religious, economic, and other organizations throughout the United States to organize and participate in anniversary activities to expand understanding and appreciation of the significance of the arrival of Africans in the United States and the contribution of African Americans in the United States.

Public Law authority To plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities throughout the United States—Appropriate for the commemoration (defined as commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans in the English colonies, at Point Comfort, Virginia in 1619);

Public Law Authority To plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities throughout the United States— Appropriate for the commemoration (defined as commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans in the English colonies, at Point Comfort, Virginia in 1619);

In preparing for the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the arrival of African Americans to the English Colonies, the Commission planned to meet in Washington, DC in February 2019 to expand their knowledge of African American trials and triumphs through such exhibits as the Slave Bible at the Museum of the Bible and hosting a public meeting at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The Slave Bible

We planned and presented advanced programming to highlight the commemoration.

400 Distinguished Awards Throughout the Commission’s appointment, we will ask the public and our Commissions to nominate deserving individuals whose stories may be least or never told as well as others to recognize and highlight the resilience and contributions of African Americans since 1619.

Writing A New History Writing A New History is our theme for all efforts by the Commission to occur through July 1, 2020. We have and will continue to acknowledge the impact that slavery and laws that enforced racial discrimination had on the United States; We will educate the public about—the arrival of Africans in the United States

Let’s Talk About Our Dream We began a national conversation with our youth which will continue in 400 schools

ODU became our 400-school launch and national prototype

Our plans include To provide technical assistance to States, localities, and nonprofit organizations to further the commemoration; To coordinate and facilitate for the public scholarly research on, publication about, and interpretation of— (A) the arrival of Africans in the United States; and (B) the contributions of African Americans to the United States; To ensure that the commemoration provides a lasting legacy and long- term public benefit by assisting in the development of appropriate programs; and To help ensure that the observances of the commemoration are inclusive and appropriately recognize the experiences and heritage of all individuals present at the arrival of Africans in the United States.

What can you do? Visit our website to request official use of our logo to brand events that you might present to honor 400 years of African American history in this country; August was a beginning . . . Continue to build upon the momentum. Invite us to learn more and share nationally the less known but powerful stories of African American history which have occurred in your cities and towns. HOST . . . Ensure that at least one of your middle, high schools, or institutions of higher learning will become one of our 400 commemorative schools; When and if funding becomes available, be among those who apply for one of our competitive grants. Provide support to the Commission.