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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 471 FILED ON: 1/13/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 591
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Chynah Tyler
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act concerning education in honor of Byron Rushing.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Chynah Tyler7th Suffolk1/13/2023Christopher J. Worrell5th Suffolk2/14/2023Michelle M. DuBois10th Plymouth2/14/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 471 FILED ON: 1/13/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 591
By Representative Tyler of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 591) of Chynah
Tyler, Christopher J. Worrell and Michelle M. DuBois relative to including the events of Black
History instruction at schools and institutions of higher education. Education.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 708 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act concerning education in honor of Byron Rushing.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Section 1. Chapter 71 of General Laws is hereby amended adding the following section:
2 Section 2. Every school district and school shall include in its curriculum a unit of
3instruction studying the events of Black History, including the history of the African slave trade,
4slavery in America, and the vestiges of slavery in this country. These events shall include not
5only the contributions made by individual African-Americans in government and in the arts,
6humanities, and sciences to the economic, cultural and political development of the United States
7and Africa, but also the socio-economic struggle which African-Americans experienced
8collectively in striving to achieve fair and equal treatment under the laws of this nation. The
9studying of this material shall constitute an affirmation by students of their commitment to
10respect the dignity of all races and peoples and to forever eschew every form of discrimination in 2 of 2
11their lives and careers. The Department of Education and Secondary Education may prepare and
12make available to all school districts and schools instructional materials, which may be used as
13guidelines for development of a unit of instruction under this Section; provided, however, that
14each school district and school shall itself determine the minimum amount of instruction time
15which shall qualify as a unit of instruction satisfying the requirements of this Section. A school
16may meet the requirements of this Section through an online program or course.
17 Section 3. Public community colleges, colleges and universities shall offer a course
18studying the events of Black History, including the history of the African slave trade, slavery in
19America, and the vestiges of slavery in this country. These events shall include not only the
20contributions made by individual African-Americans in government and in the arts, humanities,
21and sciences to the economic, cultural, and political development of the United States and
22Africa, but also the socio-economic struggle that African-Americans experienced collectively in
23striving to achieve fair and equal treatment under the laws of this nation. The taking of this
24course shall constitute an affirmation by students of their commitment to respect the dignity of
25all races and peoples and to forever eschew every form of discrimination in their lives and
26careers.
27 Public community colleges, colleges and universities may meet the requirements of this
28Section by offering an online course.