A decision by the Texas State University (TXST) to cancel an appearance of the Black History 101 Mobile Museum at one of its campuses, scheduled for 2026 Black History Month, has prompted a First Amendment challenge from the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, according to a report by the University Star, TXST’s student-run paper. 

In a letter sent to TXST president Kelly Damphousse, the ACLU of Texas noted a 2023 Senate bill banning DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) at Texas public universities, as well as “the current climate of our state,” and “certain topics covered as part of the museum,” as reasons for rescinding the invitation to the museum’s founder, Khalid El-Hakim.

“On October 13, 2025, a director of campus activities at Texas State University invited Dr. el-Hakim to bring the mobile museum to campus in February of 2026, for Black History Month,” the ACLU wrote, as quoted by the University Star. “Dr. el-Hakim accepted the invitation and spent the next two weeks coordinating details with Texas State. But on October 28, that same campus official, after consulting with ‘supervisors and the leade...