Jackson Advocate

Dr. Frederick D. Patterson, right, president of the United Negro College Fund, announced on Monday, March 5, a gift of $500,000 made by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., to the Capital Funds Campaign for a building fund. Dr. Patterson is shown here with Thomas A. Morgan, chairman of the Fund's board of directors, and Mr. Rockefeller at a dinner given by the noted philanthropist at Rockefeller Center. The gift was the first contribution to the new campaign to raise $2,500,000 for dormitories and classrooms in the 32 private, accredited colleges and universities that are members of the United Negro College Fund.

Rockefeller Gives $5 Million Negro College Fund

NEW YORK-(SNS)-A gift of $5,000,000 by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., the first contribution toward a five-year capital funds campaign of $25,000,000 endowment for plant improvement, was announced Monday by Thomas A. Morgan, chairman of the board of directors of the United Negro College Fund.

Dr. Frederick D. Patterson, president of Tuskegee Institute, accepted the gift on behalf of the fund at a dinner given at Rockefeller Center for prominent business leaders and the fund's campaign chairman in sixteen cities throughout the country.

Dr. Patterson, who is also president of the fund, pointed out at the dinner that the capital funds plan marks the second step in the program for strengthening its 32 private, accredited member colleges. "Seven years ago," he said, "These colleges came together to try to solve their mutual problem of raising enough money to meet current operating expenses through annual campaigns conducted on a cooperative basis. Our eighth annual campaign for $1,500,000, which will open nationally on April 3 this year, is the result of this effort."

"Meanwhile," Dr. Patterson continued, "the problem of the capital fund still had to be solved. We have, therefore, inaugurated our capital fund plan, a separate fund raising program for plant improvement."

Mr. Morgan told the dinner guests that Mr. Rockefeller had agreed to give $5,000,000 to initiate the new fund raising program, provided that this sum be matched by contributions from other donors.