About the Commission

The 400 Years of African-American History Commission Act, signed into law January 8, 2018, established a 15-member commission to coordinate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the frst enslaved Africans in the English colonies. The Commission’s purpose is to plan, develop, and carry out programs and activities throughout the United States that:

• Recognize and highlight the resilience and cultural contributions of Africans and African Americans over 400 years;

• Acknowledge the impact of slavery and laws that enforced racial discrimination on the United States;

• Encourage civic, patriotic, historical, educational, artistic, religious, and economic organizations to organize and take part in anniversary activities; and

• Assist states, localities, and nonproft organizations to further the commemoration and coordinate public scholarly research about the arrival of Africans and their contributions to the United States.

The Commission may also provide:

• Grants to communities and nonproft organizations to develop programs;

• Grants to research and scholarly organizations to research, study, publish, or distribute information about the arrival of Africans in the United States; and

• Technical assistance to states, localities, and nonproft organizations.

The Commission operates as an entity of the Executive Branch of the federal government. Among its primary federal and nonproft partners are the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and the National Alliance of Faith and Justice.