Philanthropist’s unrestricted donations to Morehouse, Spelman, and Clark Atlanta create ripple effect across historically Black colleges.MacKenzie Scott transformed three Atlanta universities with a historic $55 million donation. The philanthropist gave the money to HBCUs within the Atlanta University Center following her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Scott acquired Amazon stock worth more than $38 billion in the settlement.She decided to give away most of her newfound wealth to support Black institutions. The donations came during the summer 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. Scott’s gifts arrived with no restrictions, allowing university leaders complete freedom in spending decisions.Scott allocated her donations strategically among the three Atlanta University Center schools. Morehouse and Spelman each received $20 million in July 2020. Clark Atlanta University received its $15 million check five months later in December.The timing proved crucial for these historically underfunded institutions. Each school faced longstanding financial challenges due to systemic lack of support. Scott’s unrestricted gifts provided unprecedented flexibility for campus improvements and student support.
