Texas State University Cancels Black History Exhibit, Citing Anti-DEI Law

Texas State University has canceled plans to host a Black history exhibit, citing concerns related to Texas' anti-DEI legislation.

According to theGrio, the university withdrew its invitation to the Black History 101 Mobile Museum, a traveling exhibit founded by educator and curator Khalid el-Hakim, to come to campus for its February Black History Month programming.

In an email to el-Hakim, the university said the exhibit wasn't approved “due to SB-17 [Senate Bill 17], the current climate of our State, and certain topics covered as part of the museum."

Senate Bill 17, enacted in 2023, restricts diversity, equity, and inclusion offices and initiatives at public universities in Texas, though it includes exemptions for classroom instruction and guest speakers.

The Black History 101 Mobile Museum is a 30-year-old traveling exhibit that highlights lesser-known aspects of Black history. El-Hakim, a middle school teacher, created the museum after feeling that Black history was largely excluded from traditional K12 curricula. The collection now includes more than 1,500 artifacts and has been displayed at hundreds of institutions nationwide, including schools, universities, and corporations.

El-Hakim said this is the first time an institution has rescinded an invitation to host the exhibit.

“This is a form of censorship,” el-Hakim said. “At the bottom line, this is about academic freedom. This is a college campus, and this is where students should be learning about history. These are now considered things that make people feel uncomfortable, but at the end of the day, it’s nothing but American history.”

The cancellation prompted a response from several civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the Intercultural Development Research Association, and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. In a joint letter, the groups urged Texas State to reinstate the invitation, arguing that canceling the exhibit misapplies state law and violates the First Amendment.

Texas State spokesperson Jayme Blaschke said the university is reconsidering the museum for future Black History Month programming. Blaschke also said the decision to withdraw the invitation was made at the department level and acknowledged that the staff member who contacted el-Hakim had “incorrectly” cited Senate Bill 17 as the basis for the decision.

“The students should have the opportunity to see for themselves,” el-Hakim said. “If I remain silent in a situation or injustice like this, that is betraying the history that I go out and promote and that I’ve given my life to for the past 35 years. This is not a time to be silent. Let them see what the university was concerned about.”

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