About
Mission
In recognition of the injustices done to Black residents of Forsyth County, Georgia, in 1912 and afterward, we as followers of Jesus would like to honor those expelled from the county by providing college scholarships to some of their descendants.
This is an act of love—doing for a few what we wish we could do for all. This is not meant to be a repayment, a reckoning, or reparations. We encourage our community to learn about the events of 1912 and participate in supporting the scholarship.
About
Several followers of Jesus who live in Forsyth County, Georgia had heard references to the racial expulsion of Black people from the county but knew little about it. They began reading books about the events of 1912 and doing further research. The more they learned, the more they felt compelled to do something..
After much discussion with African American leaders, community leaders, descendants of those expelled from the county, and a lot of brainstorming and prayer, the idea of a scholarship for descendants was formed.
Some have asked, “Why bring up pain and hurt from a time long ago? Doesn’t that just open old wounds?” Others have suggested that a scholarship is not enough to right the wrongs of the past and that is certainly true. When we learn from the sins of the past it helps us avoid repeating that history. We are not responsible for the sins of our ancestors, but we are all responsible for the future of our children.
This scholarship is not meant to be a repayment, a reckoning, or reparations but simply an act of love that will be helpful to some descendants whose families have suffered. Is it enough? Of course not. But it is a step. This is an act of love for a few that we wish we could do for all.
Why a scholarship? With the expulsions, families lost virtually everything. Fifty-eight families lost their land with little or no compensation. Most lost their jobs. With no time to plan, they left possessions behind and had to start over in a new place. Because of this, there were huge immediate financial and generational wealth consequences. While a scholarship for a descendant does not fix what happened, it does have the potential to help a new generation access higher education, leading to a good job and wealth creation for the future.
We hope this scholarship will be honoring to the families affected by these events and encouraging to some of their descendants while leading us all toward more dialogue, understanding, and healing in our county. Learning the stories and honoring the memories of some of the families that fled Forsyth County can only make us better, more compassionate people. We feel Jesus compels us to acknowledge this difficult history and take action. We want Jesus to get all the credit.