Armenian Heritage Month is observed in April to celebrate the rich culture, history, and societal contributions of Armenians, both in Armenia and in the diaspora. It also serves as a time to remember and honor the Armenian Genocide, designated on April 24 as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.
William Saroyan, one of the most famous Armenian-American writers, known for his prolific and important artistic output, but who refused to accept the Pulitzer Prize, wrote brashly and irreverently in 1935 of the resilience of the Armenian people and how, despite persecution and displacement, Armenians continue to rebuild and thrive wherever they go.
“Go ahead, destroy this race. Let us say that it is again 1915. There is war in the world. Destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them from their homes into the desert. Let them have neither bread nor water. Burn their houses and their churches. See if they will not live again. See if they will not laugh again. See if the race will not live again when two of them meet in a beer parlor, twenty years after, and laugh, and speak in their tongue. Go ahead, see if you can do anything about it. See if you can stop them from mocking the big ideas of the world, you sons of bitches, a couple of Armenians talking in the world, go ahead and try to destroy them.” – William Saroyan, The Armenian and The Armenian.
Although the Armenian Genocide is included in California’s Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Materials, its instruction varies widely across classrooms statewide. Senate Bill 472, introduced by Senator Henry Stern (D-27) with co-sponsorship from Senators Benjamin Allen(D-24) and Scott Wiener (D-11), aims to address this inconsistency by establishing the ‘Holocaust and Genocide Education Grant Program.’ Pending a final budget determination by the state legislature, this program would allocate a dedicated funding stream from the State Treasury to local educational agencies in California with the stated aim of enhancing curricula and training educators to effectively teach about the Holocaust and other genocides in public schools, which would include the Armenian Genocide.
Advocating for the expansion of Armenian Genocide education has been a longstanding priority for the wider Armenian community. The bill is scheduled for a state hearing on April 23, 2025, in the Committee on Education, chaired by State Senator Sasha Rene Pérez, representing District 25, which includes Pasadena and Glendale, among other cities in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.
We reached out to Senator Pérez’s office for a comment about the pending committee review, but the Senator’s office stated it would be too early for the Senator to provide a comment. Because the legislation is still under review, Senator Pérez, as the Chair of that committee, typically refrains from commenting on pending legislation until the analysis process is complete, as provisions may be subject to change before the hearing date. But overall, she believes everyone should be able to agree on the importance of learning about genocides as part of the school curriculum, and she looks forward to reviewing this legislation.
At the federal level, Reps. Dana Titus (D-NV), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Ted Lieu (D-CA), David Valadao (R-CA), and Judy Chu (D-CA) introduced the bipartisan Armenian Genocide Education Act in the U.S. House this month. HR 2585 directs the Librarian of Congress to carry out activities to support Armenian Genocide education programs and for other purposes. The landmark bipartisan legislation advances genocide education on atrocities committed against Armenians and other Christians from 1915 to 1923. The initiative directs the Library of Congress to implement a nationwide education program about the Genocide committed by the Ottoman Turkish Government from 1915 to 1923 against Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks, Syriacs, Arameans, Maronites and other Christians.
“The Armenian Genocide was a horrific manifestation of evil,” says California Congressmember Ted Lieu. “Though we cannot go back 110 years to prevent the senseless killing of roughly 1.5 million Armenians, we can use education to ensure the victims are never forgotten. The horrors of this atrocity have left a lasting impact on Armenia and its diaspora. It is imperative that we ensure future generations learn about this massacre so nothing like it can ever happen again. I am pleased to join Congresswoman Titus and my Congressional colleagues in co-leading the Armenian Genocide Education Act to provide resources for Armenian Genocide education.”
The bill would authorize $10 million over five years to support the development and dissemination of educational materials, teacher training, online resources, and curriculum integration to teach students across the U.S. about the causes, consequences and enduring lessons of this unpunished crime against humanity.
“Our darkest moments as a human race have come during times when those who knew better stood silently, making excuses for passivity and allowing injustice and persecution to reign,” said Rep. Gus Bilirakis. “We must acknowledge the atrocities of the past so that we might hopefully prevent them in the future. One of the best ways to achieve this goal is through education and awareness, which is why I am proud to co-lead the Armenian Genocide Education Act again.”
According to the United Nations, approximately eight to 10 million people of Armenian descent live outside their motherland in more than 100 countries. The Armenian diaspora is one of the largest and most widespread in the world, and its heritage is carried in fragments of language, traditions, and food passed down over generations. The Armenian diaspora in Los Angeles County is significant, with the Los Angeles area being home to the largest Armenian population in the United States.
Many Armenian parents (and grandparents) are alarmed by the absence of knowledge among Armenian youth on Armenian history, stating there is little generational knowledge of World War I, with the real threat to the Armenian community in the diaspora, not an external enemy, but ignorance.
During a recent visit to the Sahag-Mesrob Armenian Christian School campus in Altadena, Rep. Chu (CA-28) and State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (CA-25) stood in unity with the Armenian-American community to reaffirm their unwavering commitment to rebuilding the school after it suffered severe damage in last month’s devastating Eaton Fire. Both legislators emphasized the school’s vital role in preserving Armenian heritage and providing quality education to the community and future generations.
“The genocide of the Armenians, at the hands of the Ottoman Empire, was carried out through executions, forced marches, starvation, and other atrocities, and it is an historical fact,” said Rep Judy Chu. “Even America’s own Ambassador at the time, Henry Morgenthau, recorded what he called the ‘murder of a nation.’ Of course, there are those who want to erase history and deny reality even today by claiming this genocide never happened, brushing it aside or whitewashing it as just the price of war. But simply recognizing this genocide was just the bare minimum; to truly honor the victims, we must ensure that each generation learns about this genocide so we can prevent such an atrocity from ever happening again. That’s why I’m supporting and co-sponsoring the Armenian Genocide Education Act, which would direct the Library of Congress to support education about this genocide in schools across the country.”
As of April 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education to return authority over education to states and local communities, while ensuring the continuation of essential programs like Pell grants and funding for special needs students. While the executive order sets the process in motion, only Congress can officially dismantle a government agency.
