Peyton Manning’s Peyback Foundation endows scholarships at 6 HBCUs, including TSU, Fisk

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – Some of Tennessee’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities are getting a boost from VFL legend Peyton Manning.

According to a report from ESPN, Manning’s Peyback Foundation has endowed scholarships to six HBCUs in Tennessee and Louisiana including Fisk University and Tennessee State University in Nashville.

The foundation endowed the six scholarships in the name of notable alumnus or alumna from each school.

The endowment at Tennessee State University was made in the name of 3-time Olympic gold medalist and TSU graduate Wilma Rudolph. The endowment at Fisk University was made in the name of the late history professor Reavis Mitchell Jr.

Manning also gave back to four HBCUs in his home state of Louisiana.

Grambling State University’s endowment was made in the name of Doug Wlliams, the first Black quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl. An endowment was made at Southern University in the name of 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Harold Carmichael.

Xavier University and Dillard University in New Orleans also received endowments.

Manning would not tell ESPN about his personal ties to the donations but he said his foundation is honored to help.