State, federal aid help Brown v. Board of Education scholarship fund reach over $3.4 million

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On the heels of the 70th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, which mandated public school desegregation nationwide, Virginia’s scholarship fund named after the landmark Supreme Court case has gained $2.5 million in federal and state aid.

The state’s Brown v. Board of Education scholarship fund now stands at more than $3.4 million, after $500,000 in federal funds were awarded in March and $2 million in state funds were confirmed in the commonwealth’s newly passed two-year spending plan, according to the scholarship committee.

At a Wednesday morning meeting, the committee elected Sen. Angelia Williams Graves, D-Norfolk, as chair. In an email to the Mercury  after the meeting, Graves wrote that she’s “grateful” the committee was able to receive the funds “so that we can continue to contribute to the education of Virginians adversely affected by the Brown v. Board of Education decision and their descendants.”

Since 2004, the purpose of the fund has been to support descendants of people denied a public education during Massive Resistance, when Virginia imposed laws to prevent school desegregation and allowed some schools to close to avoid integrating. 

Ken Woodley, an author and former journalist who originally proposed the fund, urged federal and state lawmakers to make contributions after the committee learned last year it had less than $1 million available.

Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, and Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, proposed legislation requesting $5 million for the fund in the state budget. On the federal level, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine requested $1 million.

In December, the committee capped the number of awardees at 10 because of uncertainty with the state budget. Once the state and federal funds were confirmed, Woodley wrote in a May 14 letter that he hoped the funding would allow the committee to increase the number of scholarships

On Wednesday, the committee approved 40 to 45 eligible applications pending further review, according to Graves’ office.

“God’s fingerprints have always been all over this program since it fell into my mind on February 18, 2003. But God’s fingerprints are not alone,” Woodley wrote. “As is so often the case when something of goodness blossoms in this world, human fingerprints join God’s … in [the] most important ways.” 

Woodley said everyone’s “fingerprints are all over this first Civil Rights-era reparation” in U.S. history.

“I am deeply thankful for all that each of you has done and will do for this healing program,” he said.

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