The Birmingham Emancipation Association has been a helping tool for people for years. It started as a fundraising tool to help the late, Mr. W. C. Patton, its president on his travel expenses to get people registered to vote and even with the expenses of getting people to and from the polls.
His travels took him all over Alabama and Tennessee. Then his focus turned to the homeless. Mr. Patton got with local merchants to help clothe and feed the homeless. He would often get them what they needed, even shelter.
After the death of Mr. Patton, the Association saw another need – education – and filled it, by giving high school seniors scholarships to help with college fees and miscellaneous expenses. Although the Associations has existed for many years its first scholarships were awarded in 1999 – over 70 to date.
January 1st of each year a program is held at a local church to generate funds from
local churches, businesses, and individual contributors to support local youth in their pursuit of a college degree. These scholarships are awarded at a banquet the second week in May of each year.
To honor the memory of Mr. Patton, the scholarship was named the W.C. Patton Humanitarian Scholarship.
This year we will celebrate our 15th year and we look forward to seeing the young people who have been helped over the years.
The program will be Tuesday, May 13th, 6 p.m. at Bethel Baptist Church,
1637 Pearson Avenue S.W., Birmingham, Alabama 35211. Our speaker, a recipient of the year 2000, will be Ms. Javan J. Patton, attorney at law here in Birmingham, Alabama. She is the granddaughter of the late Mr. W.C. Patton .
We would like for all past recipients to contact us at BEApatton2155@aol.com.
