New bill would require college students to take class about historical African-American documents

A bill moving through the South Carolina statehouse would require college students to take class about historical African-American documents.

COLLEGE STUDENTS IN THE STATE OFSOUTH CAROLINA MAY BE ON THEIRWAY TO LEARNING MORE ABOUTAFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY AS AREQUIREMENT FOR GRADUATION.OUR PATRECUSSION HAS MORE ON THESIGNIFICANCE OF THE BILL.THAT’S NOW MAKING ITS WAYTHROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATURE.GOOD EVENING PATRICK.GOOD EVENING, JANE THIS BILLCLEARED THE HOUSE LAST NIGHTDOWN IN COLUMBIA LAWMAKERS TOLDME TODAY THAT GOVERNOR MCMASTERIS EXPECTED TO SIGN AND WHEN HEDOES AMERICAN HISTORY CLASSESWILL BE HEADED IN A NEWDIRECTION AT COLLEGES ANDUNIVERSITIES THROUGHOUT THESTATE.TALK ABOUT FOUNDATIONALDOCUMENTS.WE REALLY NEED TO BE CAREFULTHAT WE ARE NOT RECREATINGREINSTITUTING THIS NOTION OFSYSTEMIC RACISM.IT STARTED WITH A BILL TO MAKESOME MUCH-NEEDED UPDATES TO A1920S LAW REQUIRING STUDENTS.TAKE A YEAR-LONG COURSE ON THEFOUNDING DOCUMENTS SOMETHINGSTATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIESWEREN’T COMPLYING WITH AND HOUSEDEMOCRATS SELL AN OPPORTUNITY.THEY WOULD ADD A NEW REQUIREMENTFOR STUDENTS TO ALSO.LEARN PIVOTAL DOCUMENTS FROMAFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORYSPECIFICALLY FROM THE YEARS OFRECONSTRUCTION FOLLOWING THECIVIL WAR WHEN MANY AFRICANAMERICANS BEGAN TO GAIN AFOOTHOLD AND GET ELECTED TOPUBLIC OFFICE UNTIL NOW SOMELAWMAKERS SAY STUDENTS HAVE ONLYBEEN REQUIRED TO LEARN ONE OFAMERICAN HISTORY.AND IT ELIMINATES THE EXCUSETHAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE THAT WHATI DIDN’T KNOW THAT.AND SO IF YOU KNOW, I’M A FIRMBELIEVER IS IF YOU KNOW BETTERYOU.BUT THE AMENDMENT TO INCLUDEDOCUMENTS ON RECONSTRUCTIONSPECIFICALLY WAS TABLED INSTEADTHE AMENDED BILL WILL ONLYINCLUDE QUOTE AFRICAN-AMERICANDOCUMENTS OF STRUGGLE.SO REPRESENTATIVE WENDY BRAWLEYVOTED AGAINST IT.INCLUDING RECONSTRUCTION WASIMPORTANT TO SEEAFRICAN-AMERICANS AS MORE THANJUST SLAVES AND EMANCIPATEDSLAVES BUT TO SEE THEM ANDAUTHORITATIVE POSITIONS WHICH WEHAD AND HELD DURINGRECONSTRUCTION, BUT WE LOST THATBATTLE.SHE SAYS IT’S IT’S A MISSEDOPPORTUNITY, BUT WHEN SIGNEDSTUDENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TOTAKE A THREE CREDIT HOUR COURSEFOCUSED ON THESEAFRICAN-AMERICAN DOCUMENTS OFSTRUGGLE IN ORDER TO RECEIVETHEIR BACHELOR’S DEGREE ANDPREPARE FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE.IF YOU FEEL DIFFERENT IF YOUHAVE A DIFFERENT WHATEVER PEOPLEARE DIFFERENT.WHAT I HOPE IT WILL MEAN.IS THAT PEOPLE WILL HAVE MORE