U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) reintroduced legislation to promote the teaching of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) history in public schools.

The Teaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History Act would help increase awareness of the history, contributions and experiences of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the United State.s so that more students across the nation understand and appreciate the role that members of Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Representative Grace Meng (D-NY).

The act includes the following specifics:

• Require grant applications from Presidential and Congressional Academies to include AANHPI history as part of their American history and civics programs offered to students and teachers;
• Encourage the inclusion of AANHPI history in national and state tests administered through the National Assessment of Educational Progress; and
• Promote collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution’s Asian Pacific American Center to develop innovative programming regarding AANHPI history.

The legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM).

The legislation is endorsed by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) Action Fund, American Federation of Teachers, Teach for America, Educators for Excellence, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, Asian American Federal (AAF), Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO), Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF), National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), Chinese Historical Society of America, Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), Council of Korean Americans, Indian Diaspora Council, National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (National ACE), Committee of 100, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) and the Fred Korematsu Institute.

Full text of the bill is available here.

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