Portland observer., February 20, 1985, Page 18, Image 18

would submit the balance. This was prorated among the schools and was based
upon each’s ability to pay. One school's share was $300 which it had to borrow
in order to join the federation!
*
Founding the United Negro College Fund
The design o f the program was fairly simple; college presidents and volun­
teers were the m ajor backbone with local paid personnel when more help was
needed Three months o f the year there would be an intensive campaign That
first year, $733,000 was raised from 11,276 contributors and divided between the
27 member schools who gave aid to forty percent o f their students — twice the
national average.
On February 12, 1943 the Pittsburgh Courier ran an article by Dr. Frederick
D. Patterson of Tuskeegee Institute highlighting the drop in enrollment o f Black
Colleges and their severe financial crisis created by the diversion o f government
funds to the war effort. He suggested that a federation be established for a select
group of private Black College» and Universities that was operating with limited
Finances. This historical concept was the first time that collective fund-raising
techniques, a la United W ay, were applied to higher education.
Since its inception, the United Negro College Fund has increased to forty-twe
member colleges whose presidents are still involved in the fund-raising. No longer
a "nickel and dim e" operation, it raised almost $30 million in 1963. U N C F also
has its own modem building which houses the headquarters on the East River in
New York City. The organization is now totally responsible for its own fund­
raising on a monthly basis.
As a result of Dr Patterson's article, invitations under his name were sent to
Black private institutions and eighteen presidents convened at Tuskeegee in Apnl,
1943. They discussed the fact that the rising costs of education, including the new
attention to curricula and services, were deemed costly threats to the private
status o f the convening schools. In addition, the competition for limited fund­
ing sources and relatively low pay that the average alumnus enjoyed, made it
mandatory that this new approach be tried.
Hundreds o f millions o f dollars have been raised in the forty plus years that
U N C F has been in existence, and impressive contributions have been made by
organizations including a $4 million inkind contribution from the 3M Corp.
None, however, can match the $5 million contribution made by John D Rocke­
feller, Jr. in 1951, the largest single contribution ever made to the fund. Based on
today's money, it would be equal to one half of last year's entire revenue
A committee ws formed to develop strategies for funding and requirements
for joining the federation. Dr. Dent of Dillard University, Miss Florence Reed
o f Spelman, D r. Thomas Jones o f Fisk, D r. Rufus Clement o f A tlan ta, D r.
United Negro College Fund (U N C F ) also administers over $2 million for stu­
dent and financial aid programs that are geared to exceptional students on an
annual basis. Faculty members also are eligible to compete for fellowships and
grants for research on advanced degrees, and 160 members have accepted the
awards in the seven years they have been available.
Before 1840, fe w e r than ¡ 5 Blacks were high school graduates.
By the 1850’s, there were 28 college graduates.
Benjamin Mays o f Morehouse and Dr. Patterson decided that the member insti­
tutions must be four year accredited institutions with its basic support coming
from private sources. In addition, the majority o f its students must be Black.
They also agred that in order to publicize the work of Black colleges and develop
a group o f donors who would make annual pledges required the expertise o f a
hind-raising organization. The firm selected then made the determinations that
in order to raise the SI million that the committee had set as its goal, it would
cost $100,000.
Where would that come from? D r. Patterson approached the Rosenwald
and Rockefeller Foundations and they agreed to contribute half the fee, while
the colleges, now numbering 27 with an enrollment o f 14 thousand students,
Dr. Federick D. Pattarson. Praaldant of Tuskeegee Institute and
founder of the United Negro College Fund.
Four decades have passed since the article that began the “ Federation” was
written. Some o f the finest Black minds have been educated at institutions that
are supported by the U N C F : W E B . Dubois, Andrew Young, M artin Luther
King. Jr., Ernest M o ria l, Vice A d m iral Samuel Gravely, M aynard Jackson,
General Daniel James. Jr., Otis M . Smith. David Dinkins, and Benjamin Daniel
Brown, to name but a few. Thev clearly illustrate how much poorer as a race we
would be without an organization that steadfastly asserts that, " A M ind is a
Terrible Thing to Waste."
(Photo: Courtesy U N C F Archives)
Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune
(1875-1955)
One of the greatest women America baa produced. Mary
McLeod Bethune rose from a position as field hand picking cot­
ton in South Carolina where she was born to one as advisor,
confidante and friend of Pres and Mrs. Franklin 0 . Roosevelt
She served as Roosevelt's director of the Negro Division of the
National Youth Administration and was a familiar sight at the
White House where she always pleaded for justice for Blacks.
Almost single-handedly she built Bethune-Cookman College in
Florida, an institution whose graduates number in the thou­
sands.
The Paper Tree
2916 N.E. Broadway • 284 4741
Social Stationery
and
Party Shop
United Negro College Fund Founders Seated from
left. John E. Rockefeller Jr.; Federick D. Patterson,
President Tuskeegee Inst.; Walter Hovin. Pres Lord
and Taylor; Standing from left, the following Black
College Presidents. Rufus Clement. Atlanta U.; Ralph
Bridgman. Hampton Inat.; Mary McCleod Bethune
Bethune Cookman Collage; David Jonas. Bennet
Collage; Florence Read. Spellman Collage; Alber
W. Dent. Dillard University; M ordecal Johnson
Howard U.
(Photo: Courtesy UNCF Archives
"E ach year a id s to the B lack
N umbers !
E ach year adds to H is wealth . . . .
A nd , to H is in t e llig e n c e .
T hese w il l speak for HIM.'
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F rederick D ouglass .
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