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The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) and the African American Mayors Association (AAMA) are proud to announce the launch of the Washington-Rosenwald HBCU Scholarship Program, a new initiative designed to empower students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) by fostering awareness of the longstanding partnership between the African American and Jewish communities.
The program will award $25,000 in scholarships to five outstanding recipients (current HBCU students or high school seniors planning to enroll in HCBUs) who creatively explore the impact of African American-Jewish solidarity through essays, artwork, poetry, and video submissions. The scholarships are jointly funded by the CAM and the AAMA.
This project builds upon a legacy of unity and shared advocacy, inspired by the collaboration between Booker T. Washington and Julius Rosenwald, who together established nearly 5,000 schools for African American students across the segregated South last century.
The Washington-Rosenwald example set the stage for the alliance of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, who marched arm and arm for civil rights in the 1960s. The contest hopes to help spark a renewal of the historic African American-Jewish relationship in the spirit of Washington, Rosenwald, King, and Heschel: promoting education, nurturing talented young leaders, and advancing principled mutual support.
Contest entrants will be invited to address one of the following themes:
- Historic African American-Jewish partnerships and their impact on social progress
- Creative expression celebrating African American-Jewish solidarity
- Future initiatives to strengthen African American-Jewish alliances in the fight against racism and antisemitism
An honorary judging panel composed of distinguished leaders from the African American and Jewish communities will select the winners.
“Linked by our common histories as victims of prejudice and discrimination, African Americans and Jews must stand as one in pushing back against rising hate today. By celebrating and revitalizing these ties, we can help build a better future for all Americans, regardless of race, religion, or creed. We thank the African American Mayors Association for its partnership in this important initiative, and we look forward to continued collaboration moving forward.”
— CAM Chief Government Affairs Officer Lisa Katz
Contest entries are due April 3. Winners will be invited to the AAMA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., on April 16-18, and an official announcement will be made during Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) in May.
