Honoring Our Heritage and Legacy in Celebration of Black History Month and Women’s History Month

Each February, we honor our heritage and legacy in celebration of Black History Month. Similarly, each March, we recognize and celebrate the impact of trailblazing women during Women’s History Month. This year, we at Thurgood Marshall College Fund commemorate both as we highlight our founder and share a moment of our history.

Dr. N. Joyce Payne is a visionary African American woman, a mother, a professional, an advocate, and a changemaker. In 1987, she had the forethought to challenge the first Black Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. She challenged him to help preserve his legacy in perpetuity using his name and the commitment to education of Black people. She made the powerful case that the future of our race needed his help to create a pipeline of success by acquiring and sharing financial resources for deserving student scholars.

There have always been academically gifted students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominately Black Institutions who were in need. Understanding the plight of the day and the proven disadvantages through the socio-economic structure and systemic racism, Justice Marshall obliged, and the rest is history.

We are grateful to have celebrated our 35th year in 2022. We appreciate how our donors, supporters, advocates, students and alumni all see the value in education and the ability to change lives. This year, in celebration of our history, Black History, and Women’s History, we at Thurgood Marshall College Fund commend Justice Marshall and Dr. N. Joyce Payne by continuing the work of nurturing young lives, building professional acumen, providing opportunities to change lives, and beginning to build wealth for generations to come.

Every day, we live our mission to ensure student success by promoting educational excellence and preparing the next generation of workforce talent through leadership development.

This February, you can commemorate Black History Month by supporting our mission and making a contribution to it. Your gift will make a difference in a student’s life. A student today. A leader tomorrow.

Betsy Burton-Strunk and LaShonda Hairston, vice president and senior director, respectively, at Thurgood Marshall College Fund.