Ray Charles donates $1 million to Dillard University

Jet, Dec 1, 2003

Music legend Ray Charles recently donated $1 million to Dillard University in New Orleans for the development of a program about Black culture.

The donation will create an endowed faculty position and program devoted to the musical, culinary, artistic and linguistic contributions of Black Americans, according to Dillard spokeswoman Maureen Larkins.

Charles received an honorary degree in May from Dillard.

The 73-year-old singer donated the money in the name of the Robinson Foundation for Hearing Disorders, a laboratory he founded in 1987 for the treatment and research of hearing problems.

A native of Albany, GA, the 12-time Grammy-winner donated $2 million to Albany State University in 2002 and in 2000 he donated $2 million to Wilberforce (OH) University.