A generous donation of $120 million to historically Black institutions Morehouse College, Spelman College and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and his wife Patty Quillin has sparked much criticism from HBCU students who feel their institutions are excluded from such large gifts often made to the brother and sister institutions.
Hence, Morehouse has been condemned by many HBCU students and others on social media for being the focal point of philanthropists’ donations.
Despite the feedback from HBCU students and others, Morehouse President David A. Thomas said that he has only received congratulatory messages from tens of other HBCU presidents about the $40 million gift.
Thomas said that Morehouse’s share of the donation, named in honor of alumnus and UNCF CEO Dr. Michael Lomax ’68, will provide scholarships for at least 20 students, in each mentoring class over the next 10 years that cover their full tuition, allowing them to graduate debt-free.
Although Hastings’ donation wasn’t particularly made to any HBCU, $40 million of the gift does go to UNCF, an American philanthropic organization that funds scholarships for Black students and general scholarship funds for 37 private HBCUs, according to their website.
