Editor’s note: The University Star edited this story for clarification to make it clear these claims are from the ACLU of Texas. Read the university’s response in the follow-up here.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas sent a letter to Texas State President Kelly Damphousse after they say the university canceled approval for a visit by Khalid el-Hakim’s Black History 101 Mobile Museum in February 2026.
According to the letter, university officials invited el-Hakim in early October, but revoked the invitation two weeks later. The ACLU wrote that university officials cited Senate Bill 17, which sought to ban DEI, “the current climate of our state,” and “certain topics covered as part of the museum,” as reasons for revoking the approval.
“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 in its letter. “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 leadership team,’ cancelled the event in an email to … el-Hakim.”
Jayme Blaschke, assistant director for the Office of Media Relations at Texas State, said the notice of the cancellation to el-Hakim incorrectly stated it was due to SB 17. However, Blaschke did not contest the reasons.
“Texas State University is planning a range of events and activities to celebrate Black History Month in 2026. The planning process was a collaborative effort among various university entities to create a schedule for the San Marcos and Round Rock campuses,” Blaschke wrote in his email. “The decision not to include the Black History 101 Mobile Museum in the programming list was made at the departmental level as part of that department’s planning process.”
In its letter to Damphousse, the ACLU accused the university of viewpoint discrimination. They said the university’s decision violated the First Amendment’s protections for freedom of speech.
“Canceling this event based on viewpoint not only violates the First Amendment but also stifles free speech on campus to the detriment of Texas State’s students, faculty, staff, and visitors,” The ACLU wrote in its letter.
Blaschke did not provide a statement from the university in response to the allegations from the ACLU. However, According to the Austin-American Statesman, the university will consider bringing the Black History 101 Mobile Museum to campus for future Black History Month programming. el-Hakim said he has not heard from the university.
