Basketball great Michael Jordan has faced c!itici*m for his philanthropy and lack of act!vi*m throughout his career. However in recent years, MJ and his Jordan Brand have been vocal and supportive of the plight of African- American in America.
Last June, Jordan Brand announced The B***k Community Commitment, a 10-year, $100 million dedication to the B***k community to fi*h! systemic rac!sm through a fo-cus on social justice, education and awar-eness and economic justice. On Friday (May 28), MJ and Jordan Brand announced its latest grant recipients in a Nike News release.
The three programs at the forefront of “cultivating the B***k experience to the wider public” are the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, Morehouse College and the Ida B. Wells Society for Inves- tigative Reporting.
This round, the hefty donations amount to $6 million over three years, with $1 million awarded to Morehouse College and the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting and $3 million for the NMAAHC. “Our grantees’ c*iti*al work includes education about B***k history, improving the way B***k stories are told, expanding sports journalism education and opportunity for students at HBCUs, and promoting leadership development among journalists and storyt-ellers,” the release reads.
“Education is crucial for understanding the B***k experience today,” Jordan said. “We want to help people understand the truth of our past, and help tell the stories that will shape our future.”
“We’ve seen this past year the impact of education and awareness on the !ss*e of r!c!sm. When people understand what we’re fi*hti*g against, and the history behind it, we can better unite as a powerful fo*** for change,” Craig Williams, President of Jordan Brand added.
This round of donations arrives after Jordan brand cou-ghed up $1 million for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. and the Formerly Incarcerated & Conv!cted People and Families Movement last July. It also awarded $500,000 to B***k Voters Matter to support reformative initiatives for the B***k comm-unity.