The History and Importance of the United Negro College Fund
There are many programs around the world that have helped students to get funds for school as well as their careers. However, there is one which holds a rich history in helping students, most specifically Historically Black Colleges and Universities, in obtaining the funds that are needed.
UNCF or the United Negro College Fund was founded by the founder of Bethune-Cookman University, Mary Jane McLeod Bethune, activist William J. Trent and the third President of the Tuskegee Institute, now known as Tuskegee University, Frederick Douglass Patterson in 1943 and launched in April 25, 1944 in Washington, D.C..
The mission of UNCF is ”to build a robust and nationally-recognized pipeline of under-represented students who, because of UNCF support, become highly-qualified college graduates and to ensure that our network of member institutions is a respected model of best practice in moving students to and through college”, (UNCF.org) . For years, the United Negro College Fund has provided over $5 billion in the form of scholarships, internships and grants to more than 500,000 minority students.
Dr. Frederick Douglass Patterson, who was named after journalist and activist Frederick Douglass was known as the one who was ”least likely to succeed” by his peers, due to his race. However, Patterson would be able to debunk this rumor by receiving three degrees; doctorate in veterinary medicine and a master of science from Iowa State College as well as another doctorate category cj from Cornell University. Later, Patterson would go on to teach at Virginia State University.
In 1928, Dr. Frederick Patterson began his position as director of the School of Agriculture, the lead of the veterinary division, and the third president of the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in Alabama as well as being able to lead the Tuskegee Airmen which consisted of the first African-Americans to fly military aircraft in World War II.
In the town of Tuskegee, Alabama, Dr. Patterson noticed a significant amount of homes that were destroyed by a fire. He decided that it was time for a change. Patterson brought together a team of individuals with different skills and assets in order to help the financial well-being of the residents of Tuskegee. Patterson helped to provide for the families by building them homes, renovating homes and even teaching the Tuskegee residents how to build their own homes. This would become known as the “Tuskegee concrete block” an internally known practice of people building their own homes.
Patterson took his idea of helping communities in need even further with the help of Mary Jane McLeod Bethune who was also an advisor to the Franklin Roosevelt Administration. Dr. Bethune and Dr. Patterson saw that there were over 27 HBCUs in Financial need. These 27 colleges included small colleges such as Tougaloo College and Lincoln University. The number of institutions would later increase to 39 member institutions.
The founders also wanted to help to increase the number of students to attend college. Therefore, in 1943 the United Negro College Fund was created. The co-founder of the Standard Oil Company, John D. Rockefeller Jr., President John F. Kennedy and President Franklin D. Roosevelt were among some of the supporters of the United Negro College Fund. In order to fully launch the United Negro College Fund, the organization had to raise up to $760,000 which is equivalent to $6.8 million today.
In 1959, President John F. Kennedy donated an amount of $25,000 to the United Negro College Fund that he received after his book, “Profiles for Courage” won the Pulitzer Prize. Rockefeller went further in donating to the United Negro College Fund by writing letters to more donors and well-known businessmen to give to UNCF.
Between 1944 and 1970, the United Negro College Fund was not fully controlled by African-Americans. Instead, the non-profit program was controlled by white American and it targeted white Americans despite the fact that it was founded by African-Americans. However, once Vernon Jordan who was the advisor to the Bill Clinton administration, became President of UNCF, the organization was able to follow its mission which was to provide African-American students with the finances to attend a higher institution. Years later, more donors such as Nancy Wilson, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush helped to raise money for the UNCF.
In 1974, Nancy Wilson hosted the first telethon called “Something Special” with Clifton Davis for UNCF to raise $300,000 as well as $200 million through Lou Rawls in 1980 until his death in 2006. Former President George H.W. Bush donated part of his autobiography to the United Negro College Fund. Bush donated some of the proceeds of his book Looking Forward. In 1991, Bush also worked with Bill Clinton and UNCF to raise over $20 million to HBCUs which were affected by Hurricane Katrina. That same year, UNCF was granted $50 million by Billionaire writer and publisher Walter H. Annenberg. The infamous Bill and Melinda Gates foundation’s $1.6 Billion Gates Millennium Scholars Program gave the administrator position to UNCF.
Since UNCF’s inception, celebrities who have received scholarships were those such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Spike Lee. Nearly 15,000 students graduated from UNCF institutions in 1948. The number of students climbed to 120,000 in 1972 and then to 54,000 students in 1991. During that same year, the United Negro College Fund created its slogan, “a mind is a terrible thing to waste.” This line has been used in famous advertisements by UNCF which would be changed by Michael Lennox, head of UNCF to, “a mind is a terrible thing to waste but a wonderful thing to invest in.”
Representative William H. Gray became the eighth President of UNCF in 1991 and in 1994 he was able to raise $1 billion for UNCF. In 1996, in honor of the founder of the United Negro College Fund, Dr. Frederick Douglass Patterson, UNCF created the Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute which would be able to help minorities from Kindergarten through 12th grade get into higher institutions hence the tab that you may find on their website, ”K-12 Advocacy.” The mission of the Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute is ”design, conduct and disseminate research that helps guide policymakers, educators, philanthropists and the general public toward improving educational opportunities and outcomes for African Americans and other underrepresented minorities across the preschool-through-college-graduation pipeline”, (UNCF.org). The Institute works to help students as young as the age of four to get through their educational journey despite the obstacles that they may face along the way. The Institute does this by researching the many problems that students may face and creating solutions. UNCF also has an Honor Roll which lists many senators such as Democratic Senator, Cory Booker and Republican Senator Timothy E. Scott.
Today, the United Negro College Fund or UNCF has offices in more than 23 cities such as Newark, New Jersey, Orlando, Florida and Seattle, Washington. Students can apply for scholarships, internships and volunteer work on UNCF.org. UNCF helps to provide for your community, churches, colleges, alumni, parents and students. UNCF is always looking for donations as well. And remember, ”a mind is a terrible thing to waste!”
Bibliography:
https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/06/14/191796469/a-mind-is-a-terrible-thing-to
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Frederick-Douglass-Patterson
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/united-negro-college-fund-1944/
