Alabama professor says 'Gulf of Mexico' name banned
The gist
Alabama's H.B. 2 bars all state employees, including public college faculty, from saying Gulf of Mexico.
The law reaches classrooms, so professors say instruction and academic speech are affected.
How it unfolded
- date unknownThe Alabama Senate passed a bill on a Tuesday night requiring Alabama governments and agencies to call the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of America."
- Oct 1, 2026H.B. 2 takes effect, banning use of the phrase "Gulf of Mexico" by any and all state employees in Alabama, including academics at state-sponsored colleges and universities.
- Oct 7, 2026Inside Higher Ed reports the mandate applies to state workers and colleges, with an exception allowing "Gulf of Mexico" only "for historical purposes" during instruction; journalists are also constrained.
Key terms
- H.B. 2
- A bill is a formal proposal for a new law or for changing an existing law, submitted to a legislature.
- Alabama Senate
- The upper house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alabama.
Source: Wikipedia