Students at US schools are to watch the Oscar-nominated race drama 12 Years a Slave as part of the national curriculum from September.

The National School Boards Association has made the film's viewing mandatory in all public (state-run) high schools. It will also provide children with copies of the 1853 memoir by Solomon Northup which formed the basis of the biopic and a study guide. The board has partnered with the American talk show host Montel Williams, distributor New Regency and publisher Penguin Books for the project, according to Variety.

"When Hollywood is at its best, the power of the movies can be harnessed into a powerful educational tool," Williams said in a statement. "This film uniquely highlights a shameful period in American history, and in doing so will evoke in students a desire to not repeat the evils of the past while inspiring them to dream big of a better and brighter future."

Williams has embarked in similar educational crusades in the past, having succeeded in getting a copy of the 1989 US civil war film Glory into American public high schools. Edward Zwick's historical drama centres on the 54th Massachusetts volunteer infantry, the first formal unit of the US army to be made up entirely of African American soldiers.

Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave is up for nine Oscars at this Sunday's Academy Awards, including best film, best director for the British film-maker and best actor for lead Chiwetel Ejiofor.

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