When the phrase “Black Girl Magic” enters the chat, Atlanta’s Spelman College is usually a part of the conversation. Ranked as the top HBCU in the nation, Spelman has a 141-year history of educating Black women, and NBA legend Charles Barkley has taken notice.
Recently, the former basketball superstar revealed that he would pledge $1 million to the historic institution for women.
It's The Impact For Me
In a conversation with AL.com, Barkley noted that he would make a seven-figure donation to Spelman after learning of the school’s impact on the daughter of his friend and business partner, John Hudson.
“John has been a great mentor, a great friend, and a great business partner,” Barkley explained to the Alabama newspaper. “I was ready to do another HBCU, and with his daughter doing great things at Spelman, so I told him, ‘Why not there?'”
Jordyn Hudson, John Hudson’s daughter, is a rising sophomore and the incoming class president at the college.
Spreading The Wealth
According to the Alabama news report, this current gift to Spelman marks Barkley’s sixth substantial donation to HBCUs.
“People are aware of Charles from TNT and his NBA stardom, but I don’t think people are aware of how focused he is on philanthropy and entrepreneurism. He knows how committed Jordyn is to Spelman and has seen how it has transformed her worldview,” John Hudson said to the newspaper.
In 2016, Barkley donated $1 million each to Clark Atlanta University and Alabama A&M University. The following year, he made a commitment to donate to Morehouse College. In 2020, he extended a pledge of $1 million to Miles College and Tuskegee University.
Barkley is among a long list of donors that have made significant contributions to HBCUs in recent years, including individuals and companies like Morgan Stanley, Diddy, Oprah Winfrey, Chris Paul, and Apple.
