{"id":492643,"date":"2026-02-27T01:01:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T01:01:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/492643\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T01:01:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T01:01:09","slug":"pressley-unveils-resolution-to-celebrate-protect-black-history-museums-cultural-institutions-marking-100th-anniversary-of-black-history-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/492643\/","title":{"rendered":"Pressley Unveils Resolution to Celebrate & Protect Black History Museums & Cultural Institutions, Marking 100th Anniversary of Black History Month"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pressley Has Fought to Protect Black History<\/a> Against Trump\u2019s Crusade to Whitewash Museums<\/p>\n

Pressley, Tonko Demanded an Investigation<\/a> into Trump\u2019s Attack on Smithsonian Museums<\/p>\n

Resolution Text (PDF)<\/a><\/p>\n

WASHINGTON\u00a0\u2013 Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) led 52 of her colleagues in introducing a resolution to honor Black history museums and cultural institutions in their telling of our accurate, shared American history and protect these institutions from erasure, whitewashing, and funding cuts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout Black history, America has none\u2014and this resolution honors and defends the museums that keep our shared history alive,\u201d said Rep. Pressley. \u201cAs this wannabe dictator attempts to censor our history, ignore systemic impression of marginalized people, and attack our intellectual freedoms, it is imperative that we protect the institutions that commemorate the contributions, brilliance, and hardships of our Black ancestors. We refuse to yield to their revisionist narratives and a whitewashing of structural racism. Instead, we support and defend the institutions who do the essential truth-telling of our stories of resilience and radical joy.\u201d<\/p>\n

As 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month commemorations and the 250th anniversary of the United States, this resolution is introduced at a critical inflection point to affirm Black history is American history.<\/p>\n

The resolution also:<\/p>\n

Recognizes Black history museums and cultural institutions are essential to fulfilling the United States\u2019 founding promises and telling the full, accurate history of our nation;<\/p>\n

Encourages the United States Semiquincentennial Commission and affiliates to partner with Black history museums and cultural institutions in designing and implementing commemorative programming, exhibitions, and public education;<\/p>\n

Calls on relevant federal agencies, including the National Endowment for the Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the National Park Service, to ensure strong support for Black museums and cultural institutions in their funding and partnership programs;<\/p>\n

Calls upon the people of the United States to\u2014Visit Black history museums and cultural institutions, engage with their educational resources, and support through membership, attendance, and philanthropy;Confront efforts to erase or distort Black history and to uplift Black history museums and cultural institutions as trusted spaces for truth-telling, learning, dialogue, and healing;<\/p>\n

Honor the nation\u2019s 250th by participating in events at Black history museums and cultural institutions that honor both the struggles and joy that have expanded American freedom and democracy<\/p>\n

Text of the resolution is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This resolution is endorsed by: American Alliance of Museums, Association of African American Museums, Museum of African American History | Boston & Nantucket, Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), American Historical Association, Museum Hue, the National Action Network, and the American Library Association.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the nation marks its 250th anniversary, African American museums ensure our history is told in full by preserving stories of creativity, resilience, and civic progress that belong to all Americans,\u201d said Marilyn Jackson, President & CEO of the American Alliance of Museums. \u201cThis resolution affirms their essential role in education, community memory, and our shared understanding of the past.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSupporting African American-focused museums and cultural institutions is not a niche investment as it is a national imperative.\u00a0 African American history is American history.\u00a0 These institutions safeguard the full, unvarnished story of our nation, ensuring that the voices, resilience, innovation, and contributions of African Americans remain central to our collective understanding of who we are. When we strengthen these museums, we strengthen the integrity of the American narrative itself.\u201d \u2014 Dr. Vedet Coleman-Robinson President & CEO Association of African American Museums<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Museum of African American History | Boston & Nantucket (MAAH), the oldest African American history museum in New England, supports Congresswoman Pressley\u2019s resolution. Black history museums are created out of grassroots efforts and reflect the regional histories of Black communities across the country. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, MAAH stands as a testament of the long history of Black people in the Commonwealth who were active participants, both as free and enslaved people, in our country\u2019s founding. Our country\u2019s 250th anniversary is about more than the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, it reflects the rich roles all people have played in the creation of our great nation.\u201d \u2014 Dr. Noelle Trent, President & CEO, Museum of African American History | Boston & Nantucket<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black History and co-founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), established Negro History Week to ensure that Black History was integrated into schools and discussed everywhere from the barber shops to the pulpit. Dr. Woodson believed that history was made by the people and that it was their responsibility to learn it and to teach it. Since then, Negro History Week has evolved into Black History Month and is now celebrated worldwide. In 1976, during America\u2019s Bicentennial Year, Black History Month was officially proclaimed by President Gerald Ford.\u00a0 ASALH has continued to advance Dr. Woodson\u2019s vision by promoting, preserving, and protecting Black History; setting the annual Black History Month theme; and providing resources for educators and parents.\u00a0 On this centennial anniversary, ASALH supports Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley\u2019s resolution recognizing Black History Month as a time to celebrate the lasting impact and contributions of Black Americans to the nation\u2019s history. We urge every American to learn about the stories and contributions of African Americans.\u201d\u2014Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead, Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Black history museums and cultural institutions supported by this resolution are essential to telling the full story of our nation\u2019s past. As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, we must acknowledge that Black historical experiences belong in all institutions where United States history is presented and interpreted\u2014from our museums to our parks to our schools.\u201d\u2014Sarah Weicksel, Executive Director, American Historical Association<\/p>\n

\u201cBlack history museums and cultural institutions are vital community anchors that preserve history, expand narratives, and reflect the lived experiences of Black communities too often marginalized in mainstream cultural spaces. Recognizing and celebrating their significance at the federal level affirms their essential role in educating the public, advancing equity, and ensuring a fuller and true understanding of America\u2019s diverse history.\u201d \u2014 Stephanie Johnson-Cunningham, Executive Director, Museum Hue <\/p>\n

\u201cNational Action Network, representing 140 chapters nationwide, strongly supports Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley\u2019s resolution celebrating Black history museums and cultural institutions. In the wake of the 2026 State of the Union, we must affirm what has always been true: Black history is American history. These institutions preserve the truth of our struggle, our resilience, and our contributions to this nation. At a time when our history is too often challenged or overlooked, Congress must act to recognize and protect the institutions that safeguard the full American story.\u201d \u2014 Rev. Al Sharpton, President, National Action Network<\/p>\n

Joining Rep. Pressley as original co-sponsors of the letter are: Representatives Joyce Beatty (OH\u201103), Wesley Bell (MO\u201101), Sanford Bishop (GA\u201102), Suzanne Bonamici (OR\u201101), Nikki Budzinski (IL\u201113), Andr\u00e9 Carson (IN\u201107), Sheila Cherfilus\u2011McCormick (FL\u201120), Yvette Clarke (NY\u201109), Emanuel Cleaver II (MO\u201105), Steve Cohen (TN\u201109), Danny K. Davis (IL\u201107), Madeleine Dean (PA\u201104), Sarah Elfreth (MD\u201103), Dwight Evans (PA\u201103), Cleo Fields (LA\u201106), Shomari Figures (AL\u201102), Valerie Foushee (NC\u201104), Sylvia Garcia (TX\u201129), Jes\u00fas \u201cChuy\u201d Garc\u00eda (IL\u201104), Dan Goldman (NY\u201110), Adelita Grijalva (AZ\u201107), Jonathan Jackson (IL\u201101), Henry C. \u201cHank\u201d Johnson, Jr. (GA\u201104), Sydney Kamlager\u2011Dove (CA\u201137), Robin Kelly (IL\u201102), Timothy Kennedy (NY\u201126), Summer Lee (PA\u201112), Stephen Lynch (MA\u201108), James McGovern (MA\u201102), LaMonica McIver (NJ\u201110), Seth Moulton (MA\u201106), Jerry Nadler (NY\u201112), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC\u201100), Alexandria Ocasio\u2011Cortez (NY\u201114), Frank Pallone (NJ\u201106), Mike Quigley (IL\u201105), Delia Ramirez (IL\u201103), Jamie Raskin (MD\u201108), Andrea Salinas (OR\u201106), Jan Schakowsky (IL\u201109), David Scott (GA\u201113), Terri Sewell (AL\u201107), Lateefah Simon (CA\u201112), Darren Soto (FL\u201109), Eric Swalwell (CA\u201114), Bennie G. Thompson (MS\u201102), Dina Titus (NV\u201101), Rashida Tlaib (MI\u201112), Paul Tonko (NY\u201120), Marc Veasey (TX\u201133), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ\u201112), Frederica S. Wilson (FL\u201124).<\/p>\n

Rep. Pressley has been a leading voice in defending diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, protecting Black history, and pushing back against Republicans\u2019 efforts to deny intellectual freedom\u2014whether by banning books or threatening museums.<\/p>\n

Rep. Pressley has also led on securing critical funding for museums, arts, and humanities.<\/p>\n

In 2022, she secured $207 million in federal funding<\/a> for both the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment of the Arts, which has supported communities, schools, and small businesses throughout the Massachusetts 7th Congressional district. She also secured $2,505,000 for the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program in the National Parks Service Operations.<\/p>\n

Rep. Pressley has advocated for support for museums across the country that are dedicated to archiving, researching, and preserving the African American experience, such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture. In FY26, she secured $6 million for the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture\u2014including $500,000 for Boston\u2019s Museum of African American History<\/a>\u2014which will provide such museums the resources they need to build on their work and continue to make history more accessible to the public.<\/p>\n

In August 2025, Rep. Pressley condemned Trump\u2019s attempt<\/a> to politicize, editorialize, and whitewash exhibits at Smithsonian museums\u2014particularly museums and exhibits with diverse and factual presentations of American history<\/p>\n

In May 2025, Rep. Pressley, alongside Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20), Co-Chair of the Congressional Museum Caucus, led 69 of their colleagues on a letter to the Inspector General of the Smithsonian Institution\u00a0demanding an investigation<\/a>\u00a0on the impact of Donald Trump\u2019s harmful Executive Order attacking Smithsonian museums \u2013 namely, the American Art Museum, the American Women\u2019s History Museum, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture \u2013 attempting to erase histories of marginalized communities. A copy of the letter is available\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In May 2025, Rep. Pressley convened a roundtable and press conference at the Museum of African American History in Boston to uplift the vital role of museums<\/a> in preserving our shared history amid Donald Trump\u2019s attack on cultural institutions and his attempts to erase the documented histories of marginalized communities.<\/p>\n

In April 2025, Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech<\/a> slamming Trump\u2019s attack on Smithsonian museums and affirming that Black history is American history.<\/p>\n

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