National Council on African American History and Culture Act of 2026

Expertise-Driven Preservation: The Council will be composed of individuals recognized for their broad knowledge, expertise, or commitment to the preservation and celebration of African American history and culture (Section 2(a)(2)(A)). This ensures that those overseeing these efforts have established records of service or scholarship (Section 2(a)(2)(C)).

Diverse Representation: The President is required to give due regard to the equitable representation of women, people of color, and individuals with disabilities involved in the humanities (Section 2(a)(3)(A)). This is intended to ensure a comprehensive representation of views from scholars, practitioners, and the public (Section 2(a)(3)(B)).

Cultural and Economic Recognition: The Council is tasked with developing policies to promote the understanding of African American history and the celebration of African Americans as contributors to the country's economic, cultural, and political success (Section 2(c)(4)).

Program Evaluation: The Council will evaluate the programs and activities of the National Endowment for the Humanities to determine how effectively they contribute to the preservation and celebration of African American history and culture (Section 2(c)(3)).

Political Party Constraints: The bill requires strict political divisions, mandating that six members be affiliated with the Democratic party and six be affiliated with the Republican party (Section 2(a)(3)(C)). Additionally, the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson may not belong to the same political party (Section 2(a)(4)(B)).

Limited Duration: The Council is scheduled to terminate 10 years after the date of the Act's enactment (Section 2(e)).