The William & Geraldine Curry Scholarship
Graduating high school seniors in Marengo County, AL who are accepted or applying to college have the opportunity to apply for the 2024 William & Geraldine Curry Scholarship for Academic and Community Leadership. This scholarship was designed to enhance the lives of youth in Marengo County and the Black Belt by awarding scholarships and creating internships and opportunities for these students to return to the Black Belt. As a result, the life and legacy so brightly established by Rev. Curry continues.
More information about the 2024 Curry Scholarship will be available soon. If you have any questions, please contact Erica Williams at ewilliams@blackbeltfound.org.
Marengo County’s favorite son, William Curry, was a native and lifelong resident of Linden, AL. It is only fitting that the memory of this servant leader was enshrined in a scholarship for Black Belt youth in 2019 by lifelong friend Dr. Art Dunning and wife Karen Baynes-Dunning.
Reverend Curry, an ordained minister with the A.M.E. Zion church, lived his faith in service to his community. As valedictorian of his Linden Academy class, William displayed his gifts of intellect and discipline at an early age. After completing his military service in the U.S. Army, he returned to segregated Linden in the Jim Crow south, undaunted by the challenges ahead. Rev. Curry served as a city councilman, school board member, and little league coach.
Given his enduring commitment to the citizens of Marengo County, especially the youth, his Linden Academy classmates Mr. Taylor Jones and Dr. Art Dunning were inspired to conceive the William and Geraldine Curry Academic and Community Leadership Scholarship. “Mr. Curry’s passion to uplift the youth of Marengo County was unwavering,” said Dunning. “He never minced words when confronting some of our society’s most challenging obstacles to success. We want to make his name, his work and his legacy remembered.”
When seeking a home for the scholarship, the Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) was contacted and agreed to serve as the supporting organization.
2023: LaNiyah Anderson
This year’s winner, as selected by the scholarship committee, was LaNiyah Anderson, a graduate of Amelia Love Johnson High School in Thomaston, Alabama.
Ms. Anderson plans to follow her dream of playing basketball at Wallace State Community College in Selma. As an accomplished dual enrollment student, she has already 50% of the coursework for Wallace State. She has also participated in volleyball and track. She was accepted to the more than 30 schools she applied to and received over 15 scholarship offers. Her application to the William & Geraldine Curry Scholarship shares that in her journey to becoming a servant leader, she has future plans to study Dentistry and to return to her hometown to provide dental services to the elderly and youth.
In order to sustain the scholarship for future awardees, BBCF continues to ask for public support.
How to donate to the scholarship fund?
Visit: blackbeltfound.org/donate and specify the “William & Geraldine Curry Scholarship” in the drop down menu from the
“I want my donation to be designated toward” tab, or simply use the fast TEXT-TO-GIVE option from your cell phone by sending a text message to 334-378-3700 and then specifying your giving amount and the word “Curry”.