Black Education
Quarterman & Keller Social Justice Scholarships
Spelman, Morehouse, and Clark Atlanta (HBCU Center) 2022 - 2023 Recipients
The Reparations Project’s first educational initiative — Social Justice Scholarships — supports 10 HBCU students at Spelman, Morehouse, and Clark Atlanta in their work toward creating a platform for social change that is undergirded by an anti-racist framework.
Quarterman & Keller Social Justice Scholars at the HBCU Center engage in social justice engagements and activities supported by the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center established at Spelman College under the auspices of the American Association of Colleges and Universities. The Center is directed and managed by the Director of the Social Justice Program, Dr. Cynthia Spence.
The Quarterman & Keller Social Justice Scholars program with Spelman College, Morehouse, and Clark Atlanta supports HBCU scholars as they work toward change.
Among other things, scholars in the program will engage in oral history work and work surrounding descendant families and healing, including an oral history of the Quarterman family, in Port Wentworth and Savannah.
Aiyana Edwards
Spelman College
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Calvin Bell
Morehouse College
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Chloë Catrow
Spelman College
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Elizabeth Gowans
Spelman College
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George Pratt
Morehouse College
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Julia Hopkins
Clark-Atlanta University
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Lesley Yates
Spelman College
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Neil Grasty
Morehouse College
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Nia Dillard
Spelman College
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Rosemarie Louissant
Spelman College
Learn MoreGeorgia Southern University
Gullah Geechee Center
Rachal Phillips & Leah Mikell
We are thrilled to have awarded two $2,500 Social Justice Scholarships to Georgia Southern University political science major Rachal Phillips and elementary education major Leah Mikell who are part of the new Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Center at Georgia Southern in Savannah. The students’ research, which will examine the effects of a Eurocentric education system on the Black community and why many Black Americans are not aware of the Gullah Geechee community, respectively, will be presented at Georgia Southern’s Research Symposium in April 2022.
Columbia Law School & Life Re-entry Scholars
Brandon Harris and Sura Sohna
Brandon Harris and Sura Sohna are childhood friends with a remarkable story of social justice advocacy, determination, and success through education. After working to get Sura released from prison 12 years early, Brandon is beginning his journey at Columbia Law School, where he will be supported by a partial scholarship as a Quarterman & Keller Scholar. After an unexpected early reentry into civilian life, Sura is working to finish his GED and continue with his education as he studies photography and film. Sura will also be supported in his reentry efforts by a partial scholarship as a Quarterman & Keller Scholar. Sura is the first recipient of this type of reentry scholarship from The Reparations Project. We hope to be able to give more.
Kennesaw State
Descendant Scholarship
Corrine Belles
Corrine Belles is Randy Quarterman’s cousin and a third-year student at Kennesaw State University. She is pursuing a degree in chemistry with a forensic concentration to achieve her dream of working in toxicology. In her free time, Corrine enjoys trying out new recipes and spending time with friends.
UC Santa Barbara Black Studies Department Scholars
The UCSB Black Studies Department has a long history of activism and education, as one of the first departments of its kind, established in 1969. It is also the first place Sarah began taking Black Studies courses, in 1989. The Reparations Project has established a fund at UCSB for additional Quarterman & Keller Scholars, to be announced next year.
Live in Peace (East Palo Alto, CA)
The LIP College Initiative has been supporting college students from East Palo Alto since 2008. And it works. Their students are already a success.
The results so far are a college graduation rate 8x higher than the national average for students in this demographic. They've seen 74 students graduate, and 73 students are currently enrolled and on-track to graduate.
We have awarded our first senior scholarship to a student from the California Bay Area and the Sequoia Union High School District. We will announce this scholar in Summer 2022.
Other Support of Black Education
Urban Mentoring Academy (Savannah, GA)
The Reparations Project supports Tre Singleton’s Urban Mentoring Academy (UMA) in Savannah which offers courses from Life Skills to Python to Black youth. UMA has partnered with the 1st Aldermanic District of Savannah and its Alderwoman, Councilmen, and School Representative to focus on youth in one area of the City, County, and School District. Their Summer Camp will start the 1st week of June and last for 6 weeks at Moses Jackson Advancement Center. UMA also supports Mr. Mo's Summer Camp on the Eastside of Savannah.
Ms. B’s C.R.L.T. Afrofuturism Course (Bay Area, CA)
The Reparations Project supports Sherinda Bryant’s summer Afrofuturism course for elementary and middle school students, created to introduce scholars to the genre of Afrofuturism through literature, STEM and the arts. The basic tenet of this genre is to use the concept of sankofa (go back and get it) to discover the wisdom and knowledge that existed prior to African enslavement and to use these facts to extinguish myths and stereotypes about African-American culture.
Narratives
We believe truth telling and authentic relationships are key to our nation’s healing and repair. We hope that our story will inspire others to interrogate their history and tell their story too. Through Narrative, we amplify descendant-family stories and Black voices. We would love to hear your story too.