Florida Times-Union
Edward Waters College plans to establish the A. Philip Randolph Institute for Law, Race, Social Justice and Economic Policy, a place for scholars and students alike to “examine and exchange ideas” on a host of social issues.
Initial funding for the institute — named for Florida-born civil rights activist Randolph, a former Edward Waters student — is from a $200,000, two-year grant from the Jacksonville-based Jessie Ball duPont Fund.
“This is a tremendous opportunity and potentially transformative development for our institution and the greater Jacksonville community,” said A. Zachary Faison Jr., president, and CEO of the college.
The program is also a “timely initiative for all of us given the recent events that have occurred throughout the country … heightening our collective scrutiny of matters of race, law and the engagement of African American citizens with law enforcement, as well as the ongoing plight for social and economic equity that has come even more to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
Founded in 1866, Edward Waters is a private, liberal-arts institution and Florida’s first historically Black college. About 1,000 students are enrolled.
This summer the college will launch a national search for an executive director/scholar-in-residence to lead the institute, said R. Scott Evans, vice president for institutional advancement, development, marketing, and communications. Additional staff will be hired later.
The institute will “examine and exchange ideas related to race, law/criminal justice and socioeconomic policy matters through research, lectures, symposia and scholarship,” according to the college.
“The Randolph Institute will seek to accomplish positive change through … research-based policy recommendations” made to state and local government, law enforcement, business, civic and economic development agencies, according to the college.
The goals will be “qualitative and/or quantitative improvements,” increased confidence and trust between the public and law enforcement and “equitable uses of discretion” in decisions made by prosecutors, according to the college.
“The Randolph Institute represents a unique and powerful opportunity to advance our collective goals of making our community more open, equitable and inclusive,” said Mari Kuraishi, president of the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. “We are proud to honor the legacy of A. Philip Randolph by expanding opportunities for scholarship, open dialogue and policy recommendations at a critical time for our community.”
The institute grant is the fund’s latest for Edward Waters, following two gifts in 2019 and 2020 that totaled $250,000 for the Honors College. The fund will “continue to look for opportunities to work together on programs that create more inclusive communities on … campus and for our community more broadly,” said fund spokeswoman Melanie Cost.
Kimberly Allen, CEO of 904Ward, a community organization working to advance racial equity in Jacksonville, endorsed the college’s plans.
“We are incredibly excited about this institute being brought to our city,” she said. “A historic institution like Edward Waters College partnered alongside the Jessie Ball duPont Fund to honor the legacy of the great A. Philip Randolph is what our city needs. We look forward to the groundbreaking work … and the positive change that will result.”
The institute was Faison’s “brainstorm,” in response to social unrest over the murder and mistreatment of African Americans, removal of Confederate monuments and “decades of unkept promises” to Blacks in Jacksonville, among other things, Evans said.
