DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A prominent metro Atlanta pastor plans to donate more than $2 million in scholarships to 400 high school graduates from the area, according to a news release.
Dr. Jamal Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, announced the donation during the church’s service last Sunday. Recipients included members of the church’s congregation, but also recent grads from across the larger metro area.
The church emphasized this donation as a demonstration of their larger commitment to “education, equity, and economic empowerment.”
“Today is about advancing legacy at some of our most prestigious and notable HBCUs,” said Bryant during the announcement. “When we invest in our young people, we’re planting seeds that will grow into doctors, engineers, educators, entrepreneurs, and leaders who will shape the future of our communities and our world.”
The recipients plan to attend a range of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other institutions in the fall, including Southern University, Morris Brown College, Paul Quinn College, Coppin State University, and Benedict College.
Several HBCU presidents and senior leaders attended the service to present the scholarships to future students while highlighting the importance of academic programs tailored to the needs of today’s student.
New Birth church hopes their initiative will expand access to higher education while also emphasizing the power of faith organizations in driving societal change.
The donation comes as Dr. Bryant has made a forceful emphasis on investment in Black communities — he has spearheaded boycotts against companies, such as Target and Dollar General, that either discontinued DEI initiatives or, he argued, did not do enough to support Black communities.
A central demand of the Target boycott was asking the company to deposit $250 million in Black-owned banks and establish new partnerships with HBCUs.
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