Bill Overview
Title: African American History Act
Description: This bill authorizes the National Museum of African American History and Culture to carry out educational programs and related activities. Such activities include developing and making available accurate, relevant, and accessible resources to promote the understanding of African American history; and expanding the collection acquisition and collection access processes, including conservation and digitization. The museum may also develop and maintain on its website content designated for educators, students, and families to improve their awareness and understanding of African American history.
Sponsors: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Target Audience
Population: People interested in African American history or using the museum's resources
Estimated Size: 50000000
- The bill focuses on educational programs and resources about African American history, impacting those interested in or seeking to learn about this subject.
- Anybody accessing resources from the National Museum of African American History and Culture, including educators and students, would be affected by the bill.
- As the bill involves resource development for educational purposes, institutions and individuals across the world interested in African American history might benefit.
- The expansion and digitization of collections would make African American historical artifacts and information more accessible globally.
Reasoning
- The African American History Act targets those interested in learning about African American history, engaging educators, students, and families.
- The policy will likely have a higher impact on African Americans and those directly involved in teaching African American history.
- Budget constraints imply the need to efficiently target and prioritize programs to maximize reach and impact.
- Given the substantial budget, the museum will likely expand its digital resources, making them widely available across the country.
Simulated Interviews
History Teacher (Washington D.C.)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy seems beneficial, as it could provide me with free resources to use in my classes.
- However, the impact really depends on how these resources are promoted and made accessible to educators.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
College Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 19 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am looking forward to more digital resources. It will be hugely beneficial for my research.
- Hopefully, this initiates more engagement on campus regarding topics I'm passionate about.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Retired (Rural Texas)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It would be great if these resources were available in libraries.
- I might not use an online portal much, but I hope the local library will have access.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Museum Curator (New York, NY)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Expanding the NMAAHC's resources will help us broaden our exhibit collections as well.
- I see potential collaborations or resource sharing between institutions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Non-profit Director (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful the act will complement our cultural programs.
- Our aim is to empower local communities with history education, so more resources are welcome.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Graduate Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Wider access to museum archives would be incredible for my research.
- I hope this means better remote access to key resources.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
High School Principal (Detroit, MI)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Integration of more resources could drastically improve our curricula.
- However, we need training for teachers to effectively use these materials.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Digital Content Creator (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This act could provide me with fresh content and sources.
- I'm excited to see how increased access can aid content creators like myself.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Elementary School Teacher (Raleigh, NC)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Additional resources would help bring history lessons to life.
- It's crucial for young kids to have access to diverse historical perspectives.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Librarian (Miami, FL)
Age: 46 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This would be fantastic for expanding our digital library offerings.
- I hope access fees aren’t prohibitive for public libraries.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $52000000 (Low: $36000000, High: $62000000)
Year 3: $54000000 (Low: $37000000, High: $64000000)
Year 5: $56000000 (Low: $37000000, High: $66000000)
Year 10: $59000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $70000000)
Year 100: $70000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $90000000)
Key Considerations
- The bill's implementation relies on securing necessary federal funding.
- Digitization and web development engross ongoing technological costs and require adequate cybersecurity measures.
- Collaboration with educational institutions could optimize the reach and impact of the developed resources.