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Friday, March 21, 2008 | 8:19am
Great Debater, Smollett Gives Back With Scholarship At Willey College
Actress seeks to help female students reverse the trends of sensationalism.
Former childhood actress and star of the Denzel flick “The Great Debaters,” Jurnee Smollett, is reaching out to Wiley College the Marshall, Tx institution depicted in the movie, to start a $2 million scholarship fund.
The fund will fittingly honor the memory of Henrietta Bell Wells, the woman who inspired her character Samanthe Booke.
“I’m told I’m a statistic,” Smollett said to a crowd at the Founders Observance Banquet, held Saturday at the Civic Center in Marshall. “I’m told that my young black sisters are disease-ridden…but we are greater than what society tells us we are.”
The 21-year-old acting phenom who received an honorary degree at the banquet said she simply wants to “put young girls through college” and reverse the trend of sensationalized female imagery depicted on TV.
FILED IN Honeys, Movies, Need to Know
Great move for someone who is so young. Have to appreciate the ‘famous people’ who give back to a community in need.
Our young people need as much support as they can get.
Honestly Salute to Smollett. She represents the Brains of black acting. She’s political, opinionated and only 21.
sweet and fine
she sure did grow up didn’t she?
She is kind of cute isn’t she. Never really thought so but she’s aight.
That’s my Baby Boo Biscuits