Michael Jordan Helped Fund Morehouse's First Journalism Graduate

Michael Jordan hasn't graced the basketball courts in nearly two decades. But he did just slam dunk in solidifying his stance on the next generation.

Jordan, who won six NBA championships as a Chicago Bull and is regarded as one of the best NBA players of all time, donated a $1,000,000 gift as part of his Black Community Commitment.

With the gift, a student by the name of Jalen Brown is the first to graduate with a degree from Morehouse College.

And there is a viral tweet to prove it.

“My name is Jalen Brown and I am the FIRST person to receive a journalism degree in Morehouse’s College’s 156-year history," Brown tweeted last Sunday.

That tweet has close to 14 million views in a day. And there were many media personalities such as Roland S. Martin who were stunned at the proclamation.

"Say what?” Martin tweeted last Sunday afternoon.

Emmy-award-winning journalist and professor at Morehouse College, Nicole F. Carr verified that Brown’s tweet is, in fact, true. While Morehouse produced many prominent journalists, it wasn’t until recently that the Atlanta-based school for men didn’t dole out degrees in journalism. Carr said Morehouse “expanded from a Sports Journalism minor into a Journalism in Sports, Culture and Social Justice major in 2021.”

And this is all thanks to Jordan himself and his Black Community Commitment.

What is the Black Community Commitment? It’s an initiative from Jordan and the Jordan Brand to “directly impact the fight against systemic racism by focusing on social justice, economic justice, and race education and awareness."

Additionally, Morehouse joined the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Ida B. Wells Society in receiving gifts because of their roles in cultivating the Black experience for more people.

"Education is crucial for understanding the Black experience today,” Michael Jordan said at the time of his gift to the college. “We want to help people understand the truth of our past and help tell the stories that will shape our future.”

Brown was, indeed, the first to earn his journalism degree at Morehouse College. But he certainly will not be the last.