2 area HBCUs awarded millions in grants
Houston Endowment gives $6 million to TSU and Prairie View
Texas Southern University and Prairie View A&M University, two Houston-area historically black colleges, have together received more than $6 million in grants from the Houston Endowment to help establish academic, arts and social justice initiatives.
The endowment’s recent donations are a part of a $20 million grant awarded to multiple Houston-area organizations in hopes of helping foster and build an anti-racist community.
“All Houstonians should have the opportunity to thrive. We recognize that it will require longterm commitment to achieve the anti-racist society we envision. With this initial round of grants, we hope to amplify Black voices in the community and provide needed resources to organizations that are carrying out this work today,” said Ann Stern, the Houston Endowment CEO and president, in a written statement.
Texas Southern received $4.75 million from the endowment, which will be divided between three of its institutions.
TSU’s Center for Justice Research — responsible for providing evidence-supported policy recommendations and programming to create solutions for the criminal justice system to aid disenfranchised and marginalized
communities in Houston and beyond — received $1.5 million to continue its work.
Another $1.5 million was donated to the Earl Carl Institute, a think tank within TSU’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law, to help address racism and systemic injustices in the city using legal representation, research, education and advocacy.
TSU also received $1.25 million to establish the Robert D. Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice and support its efforts to assist marginalized and underrepresented communities to build healthier and stronger communities in the era of climate change.
The University Museum, led by director and TSU art professor Dr. Alvia Wardlaw, received $500,000 to expand the works of the late Dr. John Biggers, a renowned artist and former educator at TSU, and to continue the research of historic art murals in its Hannah Hall.
This funding will also be used to expand collaborative arts programming for residents in neighboring communities, including Third Ward.
“Texas Southern is elated to receive major support from Houston Endowment to bolster critical research and justice centers as well as our beloved museum. Each entity provides their own excellent standard in environmental, justice and artistic realms to benefit the Houston community and beyond,” said Interim President Kenneth Huewitt in a written statement. “TSU is proud to take the lead in pushing for climate change and social justice equity as well as being a champion of African-American art and culture.”
Prairie View A&M University’s Whitlowe R. Green College of Education was also a grantee, receiving $1.5 million — one of the school’s largest grants.
The funds will be used to support the Educator Preparation Program, which seeks to prepare and increase the number of faculty and teachers of color, particularly in high areas of need.