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Black American Voters Alliance

Our vote is earned, not owned.

We are Black voters with no loyalty to any party. Whoever wants our vote has to come talk to us and show what they will do for our communities.

The DEED Act

Descendants Education and Economic Development Act

A discussion draft of a Senate bill. It would create the Office of Descendants Education and Economic Development inside the U.S. Department of the Treasury. It has not been introduced or passed.

Who is eligible
  • A U.S. citizen or national who is a lineal descendant of someone enslaved in the United States in 1845 or earlier.
  • Eligibility is based on documented family lineage, not the race of the person applying.
  • Applying is free, online, by mail or in person.
  • Free help with family research is part of the program. Genetic testing is not required.
Proving lineage

Many kinds of records count, alone or together: census records (including the 1870 census, often the first to list formerly enslaved people by name), Freedmen's Bureau and Freedman's Bank records, U.S. Colored Troops military and pension records, birth, death, marriage, church, probate and court records, and family Bibles.

Once one family line is verified, relatives on that same line only need to show their own link to it.

Education

Full-tuition grants

  • Covers full tuition and required fees at college or accredited trade and vocational programs, paid to the school.
  • Up to 4 years of full-time study, extendable to 6 for students making good progress.
  • Does not reduce a Pell Grant or other federal aid.
  • No age limit.
Ownership

Zero-interest loans

  • To start or buy a business, buy a home to live in, or buy land in the United States.
  • 0% interest, no origination fee, no prepayment penalty.
  • Up to 30 years for a home or land loan, 25 years for a business loan.
  • Credit score, thin credit or past bankruptcy cannot be used to deny a loan.
  • On-time payments can be reported to help build credit.
Safeguards
  • Written decision within 120 days of a complete application, with a right to appeal.
  • Grants are not taxed as income and do not count against need-based federal benefits.
  • No one may charge applicants a fee that depends on approval.
  • Yearly reports to Congress, public data every 3 months, and outside audits.

Summary of the revised discussion draft dated September 30, 2026. The bill text controls. Questions: info@fbava.org.