African-American Studies and Racial Diversity; require SBE to develop curriculum for implementation in public high school.

HB 428 requires Mississippi's State Board of Education to create and implement a mandatory curriculum in African-American Studies and Racial Diversity for all public high school students in grades 9 through 12. The curriculum must cover specific historical content, including the contributions of African descendants to American history, chronological African and African-American history, the Civil Rights Movement, slavery, Reconstruction, and the Harlem Renaissance. It also mandates that the course connect historical events to contemporary issues and integrate these topics into American History education. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, directly affecting all Mississippi public high schools and their students.