Rep. Ayanna Pressley introduced a House resolution this week that formally recognizes and calls for federal support of Black history museums and cultural institutions and urges the public to treat those institutions as essential to the nation’s story. 

The resolution, filed in mid-February and publicly promoted by Pressley’s office on Feb. 26, says 2026 is a moment to protect museums that record and teach the contributions of Black Americans while pushing back against efforts to erase or distort that history. 

“Without Black history, America has none—and this resolution honors and defends the museums that keep our shared history alive. As 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.”

The text of the resolution notes that 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month and the United States’ 250th anniversary, and it explicitly calls on federal agencies — including the National Endowment for the Humanities, the 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.” The measure also urges the Semiquincentennial Commission to partner with Black institutions when designing programming. 

Pressley’s resolution acts as a corrective to recent federal actions she says would “rewrite and whitewash” Black history. “Without Black history, America has none — and this resolution honors and defends the museums that keep our shared history alive,” Pressley said in her statement. She added that protecting these institutions is essential as the nation marks its semiquincentennial. 

Pressley’s direct language ties the resolution to what she described as efforts by the current administration to censor or alter how Black history is presented. She told The Grio the resolution is meant to “counter” those efforts. The measure’s broader call encouraged Americans to visit and support local Black museums, highlighting the economic role such institutions play, and positioning them as sites for education, healing and truth-telling. 

The resolution is a nonbinding House measure that, if adopted, would signal congressional recognition and urge federal agencies and the public to act. Pressley led more than 50 members in offering the text; the filing invites partnership, funding attention, and public engagement as a way to preserve Black museums’ records, artifacts, and community-centered storytelling for future generations.