This bill establishes the Robert Parris Moses Congressional Gold Medal Act to posthumously honor the civil rights and education advocate with a Congressional Gold Medal.
Adriano Espaillat
Representative
NY-13
This bill authorizes the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to honor Robert Parris Moses for his profound contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and his dedication to math literacy education through the Algebra Project. The medal will be presented to his daughter, Maisha Moses, recognizing his lifelong advocacy for full citizenship rights. The Secretary of the Treasury is tasked with designing and producing the medal, with provisions made for selling bronze duplicates.
Congress Honors Civil Rights Leader Robert Parris Moses with Posthumous Gold Medal
This legislation, the Robert Parris Moses Congressional Gold Medal Act, is straightforward: it grants one of the nation’s highest civilian honors, the Congressional Gold Medal, posthumously to Robert Parris Moses. The bill directs the Secretary of the Treasury to design and produce this medal, which will then be formally presented by the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to Moses’s daughter, Maisha Moses (SEC. 3).
Why the Honor Matters
For those unfamiliar with Moses, Section 2 of the bill lays out his incredible resume, making a clear case for the honor. Moses was a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement, organizing voter registration drives in Mississippi and helping lead the 1964 Freedom Summer Project. But the bill also highlights his second, equally important career: math literacy. After teaching in Tanzania, Moses returned to found the Algebra Project, which has helped over 40,000 students from historically marginalized communities develop critical math skills. His core argument, cited in the findings, was that in the Information Age, the absence of math literacy is as urgent an issue as the lack of registered Black voters was in 1961. This medal recognizes both his civil rights work and his lifelong dedication to education as a path to full citizenship.
The Logistics of a National Honor
When Congress authorizes a gold medal, there are always logistics involved, especially regarding cost. The good news for taxpayers is that the bill includes a clear plan for cost recovery. While the initial production costs for the medal are covered by the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund (SEC. 6), the Secretary of the Treasury is also authorized to produce and sell duplicate bronze medals (SEC. 4). The sale price for these duplicates must cover all production costs—including labor, materials, and overhead. All money generated from these sales goes right back into the Mint’s fund, ensuring the commemorative honor is largely self-funding. Essentially, the public gets a chance to own a piece of history, and the Mint covers its expense.