By Charles Petty
While the national conscience has focused heavily over the past year on America’s long-standing problem of anti-Black racism, it’s a struggle that’s been ongoing for the past four centuries. Even with all of the strides of progress that have been made since the era of the Civil Rights period, it appears that there are still roadblocks for some people of color to find access to affordable education.
Now, Central Carolina Community College and the mother of a Black man who was killed in July are working to help these communities meet their full potential without obstacles. The creation of the Jason Arnold Black Lives Matter scholarship is aimed at helping to advance the cause of civil rights in the Lee County community.
Dr. Emily Hare, the executive director of the Central Carolina Community College Foundation said she’s hopeful the scholarship can reach and better serve the Black community in Lee County.
“The way we can make a difference and change this world for the better is by educating people,” she said.
Arnold, whose name is on the scholarship, was a black male who had attended CCCC in the last few years. He was killed by a gunman who was known to him on July 5. His mother has teamed up with Haire and the Foundation to raise $10,000 for an endowment, and now the first scholarship has been awarded to Julius Ferguson.
“I would like it to be an annual scholarship given every year in order to continue helping Black men in the community,” said Sharon Johnson, Jason’s mother, adding that she hopes the scholarship can be a catalyst for change and that deserving young Black men can use it to pursue an education.
Allowing for all people and those who otherwise could not afford higher education is what motivated Hare to get involved with the scholarship. The foundation has been at the heart of the college for over 30 years and works to better aid those people who are in need of financial assistance.
Margaret Murchison, a member of the CCCC Foundation’s board of directors, said she’s elated that a scholarship addressing Black lives and education is being created. Her hope is that it will encourage other Black men and people of color to pursue their dreams and goals in higher education.
“The first BLM scholarship initiated in Lee County should serve as a catalyst for many other scholarships in our community, and beyond. It’s a great use of our hard earned dollars,” she said. “This scholarship, named for the late Jason Arnold, may offer some other young man the promise of a great future and then he can, reach back and pull another young man up, and so on, and so on, and all will see that Black Lives truly matter.”
Anyone is able to donate to the scholarship or any other endowment in the foundation. Visit www.cccc.edu/foundation/giving for more information.
BLM is a Marxist group. Nothing to be proud of
You can’t be serious. That remark was so…1921
BLM leadership have stated that they are trained Marxist. Look it up on YouTube. I call BLM. Bullies Liberals Marxist
Isn’t giving a scholarship based on skin color racism? They should be given on merit and need regardless of skin color.
BLM, is a Marxist, racist group…
Causes massive confusion, and ignorance to anyone who
does not do their due diligence in facts and history…..
And if we continue to remove history it has the tendency to repeat itself…
People need to think more…..
Causes massive confusion, and ignorance to anyone who
does not do their due diligence in facts and history…..
That comes from someone that doesn’t know what it feels like…to be in what some people call..”THE UNITED STATES”. I’ve served in the military. I’ve been to Iraq for 3 tours and Afghanistan for 4 tours. I’ve never seen so much hatred before. I should have stayed in Germany or England. This is so.. pathetic and petty.
Some of these, commenters…………. love ellipses ..
Racist white people vilifying equality and those who fight for it is nothing new.
Those who lynched Black people, those who made watching lynching a sport, and those who fought against the Civil Rights Movement are the children and grandchildren of those who are against 21st century Civil Rights Movement coined Black Lives Matter.
The federal government and pedagogical institutes see the need to celebrate the scholarship and brilliancy of DIVERSITY that is why there are scholarships for minorities including women, Asian-Americans, Latin-Americans, Native Americans, the LGBT, the disabled, and African Americans. This is one of those scholarships of inclusion.
So, I want to salute CCCC for being an educational system of excellency and of inclusion.
BLM is a hate group founded on a false idea. Calling this out does not make someone racist. People who have no argument resort to calling someone racist.
BLM is screaming: “We are an anti-racism movement fighting for equity, equality, and justice.”
Racist White folks are screaming: “BLM is bad, bad, bad, bad” or in your case “BLM is a hate group founded on a false idea.”
Anyone who does not have a Rebel flag hanging in their house (and/or pulsating in their hearts) do not have an issue with are an anti-racism movement fighting for equity, equality, and justice such BLM.
It would be ridiculously hilarious if it didn’t show how clear and strong racism is in America.
BLM Corporation is a racist marxist hate filled entity that could give a rip about any local scholarship…it is all over the web who they are so if you dont know go search it out….PLEASE…….Black Lives Matter groups locally or just as a mantra should really change their name from something other than that corp. Scholarships all over the US are based on creed, color, hair color, bearded, shaved, knitters, you name it….there is a scholarship for it so having a designated scholarship based on color is nothing new……no problem with that part. Another thing i dont like about this story is that it puts black people that want to apply for college as being at some disadvantage to seek financial help just because they are black……FAFSA is for anyone in need of money for school….you just have to fill out the application….this article implies to me that you feel like black people have some sort of special “road block”?? why is that?? what is the road block?? I can tell you my own kid road block….sheer laziness to get their butt to the college to fill it out….
Lol “BLM Corporation”
Why are you worried about a title!?!? This is someone loved one who they love dearly and trying to give back to the community/people in honor of his name. If you aren’t for this type scholarship… THAT’S OK!
But please RESPECT JASON ARNOLD’ and his family!
Let’s reflect on why some are so resistant to BLM. Remember, back in the 1950s-60s, when there was a mob of angry white faces yelling, spitting, hitting, even trying to kill Black people for having the audacity to want to vote or sit among whites in local places.
This is the same resistance to justice; the mob of angry white people are coming from everywhere because of the nerve of a mantra stating that Black Lives Matter.
Instead of using dogs, batons, white costumes, and oak trees with ropes like those of their ancestors, they are using the internet, posts, and nonsensical words to try and stop, silence, and DISCREDIT those fighting for equality and justice.
To paint a full picture of the ignorance of these folks, picture Homer Stokes from “Oh Brother Where Art Though” when he stopped the show with “Dees Boys is Miscegenated.”
Different times and different methods…same ole ignorance, racism, and cruelty.
You may not can stand the fact that Black Lives Matter….BUT…..Turn on Amazon and Jeff Bezos is celebrating the Black Experience; tune into Netflix and Reed Hastings is giving you Black Cinema; hell, IBM, Uber, Nike, Palmers…etc….are hash-taging and supporting BLM.
Its ok…..when you are passionate about something….especially HATE….you have a lot to say and will do anything to keep the status quo.
But, your voice is becoming more and more MUTE and OBSELETE.
The school has the scholarship, and its not the first and wont be the last. Get over it.
Respect this family. They are still hurting.
This is like a circular argument. No one is saying that they don’t respect the family and scholarships in his name isn’t a good idea.
Black Lives Matter is a neo-Marxist group that is responsible for the chaos and destruction across the country over the past nine months. It is hateful group that has embraced some of the most destructive elements of society.
Me stating this does not mean that I hate black people, or whatever else goes through your weird mind.
If I start a group called “Save The Puppies” and in my publicly stated mission objectives I say that our mission is the “dissolution of the nuclear family” and that the cofounders are “trained Marxists”, do you think I really care about saving puppies? Oh no, you’re just obviously going against me because you hate puppies. Right?
You’re not going to find many people that disagree with a scholarship being given for the tragic situation that occurred, and of course are praying for the family. The NAACP has initiated a lot of different scholarship avenues for instances like this over the past few decades and I doubt you would have the same amount of arguments for any of them.
I don’t think the older generations realize that Marxism isn’t a dirty word to the younger generations.
Anyway, I’m heartened to see so
much pushback against the negative comments. Black Lives Matter! ❤️
Yes. I believe the term Lenin used was “useful idiots.”
Marxism is responsible for more tyranny, genocide, and worldwide despair than any other ideology over the past century. If you were dropped off in the middle of North Korea, I’m pretty sure you’d change your tune.
Unfortunately, there’s a great deal of people that are oblivious to this. A combination of deteriorating education in public schools, people relying far too much on the television and pop culture for information, and just living very sheltered lives in general.