Ida B. Wells Textbook Fund Seeks Aid For HBCU Students

The Ida B. Wells Textbook Fund, a communal resource to aid HBCU attendees as they continue their academic journeys, is back for another year, dedicated to addressing students’ need as they matriculate through school.

The fund was initiated back in 2016, as explained in the current GoFundMe for the fall semester.

The original allotment was to lessen the burden of rising textbook cost, as many students already face barriers such as food and housing insecurity despite being on financial aid to attend school. However, the need for reliable support has made this direct resource invaluable to the community and the students it benefits, as a one’s ability to complete their coursework should not be dependent on their financial status, especially at HBCUs that host extraordinary Black minds.

As young academics deal with health, familial and other lofty issues whilst still trying to obtain a degree, the fund promotes outreach and awareness to help uplift individuals and acknowledge their determination to better their lives. This commitment has resulted in over $200,000 raised across the years through this support.

For this upcoming semester, the goal is to raise $25,000 that would help the textbook fees for approximately 70 students at both Morgan State and Howard University, institutions located in Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C., respectively.

Students complete a form and receive the funding on a first come, first serve basis with each maximum allotment being $250. However, student need often extends beyond standard textbooks, and the money can go toward items such as course software, Wi-Fi hotspots and digital equipment.

The demand of this fund is “immense,” but with more support, more students can acquire the tools they need most for a successful school year. Funding from the community is essential to its existence, as each semester requires new aid to be allocated for student need.

Currently, the fund is less than $10,000 away from meeting its goal, but urges those who support Black education to contribute and be a part of the direct action. In the very spirit of the fund’s namesake, the founder, Dr. Stacey Patton, hopes to advance the lives of Black students so that it can create generational progress, “By Investing in our young individuals today, we are investing in a brighter future for us all.”

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