10 Celebrities Who Have Contributed Millions to the Black Community

$20 million: Baltimore Apartments From "The Wire" Actor More than 45,000 homes in Baltimore sit vacant — and the government does not want homeless people moving in. As part of an expanding job program, Wendell Pierce is investing $20 million into an apartment complex in the Baltimore arts district. Pierce also aims to create jobs for the Maryland community by enlisting residents to help with construction. The complex is due to begin building in June and will hopefully end in 2017. Nelly Gives Free Full-Ride to College Last year, Nelly made headlines for establishing a scholarship in slain teen Michael Brown's name, but he has continuously helped Black students succeed. For the past 10 years, the St. Louis native has given two scholarships to college freshmen. Twelve students from the St. Louis metropolitan area are awarded a four-year, full tuition scholarship at the annual Black and White Ball in Missouri. And in 2014, Nelly covered the more than $100,000 cost to attend Missouri's Lindenwood University for two students. Diddy Comes Home to Harlem with Charter School Sean "Diddy" Combs is giving back to the community he grew up in. This fall, the mogul will open a new school called Capital Preparatory Harlem with Steve Perry. Perry is known for his work in developing charter schools in the northeastern United States. Throughout his career, Diddy has donated millions to The Boys and Girls Club — specifically the Harlem location — which he helped save. He also ran the 2003 New York City Marathon and raised $2 million for the city. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith Give to Black Community The celebrity power couple's foundation, the Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation, is dedicated to improving the Black community. The couple has donated thousands to the Lupus Foundation and supported clean water efforts in Ethiopia. They donated $1 million to the Baltimore School for the Arts, Jada's alma mater. In September 2015, the pair donated $150,000 to Louis Farrakhan’s Justice Or Else march. Serena Williams Opens International Schools In her travels to Africa, tennis star Serena Williams saw that things were "simply not fair." After witnessing children missing out on education, she vowed to open a secondary school in Kenya. The Serena Williams Secondary School opened in Matooni, Kenya in 2008. Another, called The Wee Secondary School, launched two years later in the same country. Both were constructed in partnership with Build African Schools. Earlier this year, the Serena Williams Fund partnered with Helping Hands Jamaica to build the Salt Marsh Primary School on the island. Rihanna Gifted $1.75 million to Barbados Hospital Barbados-born Rihanna donated $1.75 million to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Bridgetown. The donation, which went toward new equipment for the radiology center, was in memory of her late grandma Dolly. The department is now renamed the Clara Braithwaite Centre for Oncology and Nuclear Medicine. Rihanna also hosts her annual Diamond Ball, which raised more than $3 million for the Clara Lionel Foundation last year. Tom Joyner Raises Millions For HBCUs Radio show host Tom Joyner founded the Tom Joyner Foundation in 1998. Its mission is to help students continue their education at historically black colleges and universities. Since its founding, the organization has raised over $55 million for scholarships and endowments. Joyner's charity also extends toward HIV/AIDS programs. Magic Johnson Raises Millions for Charity Former NBA baller Magic Johnson formed Magic Johnson Enterprises in 1981 to bring quality businesses to Black communities and support Black communities in health and education. Magic Johnson Enterprises has since raised over $20 million dollars. Nearly $4 million in scholarships has been awarded since then. In 2013, Johnson opened the Magic Johnson Bridgescape Academies in Chicago to improve education for at-risk youth. $3.6 million to Black Causes from Shawn Carter Foundation Since the Shawn Carter Foundation was founded in 2003, Jay Z has given millions to support Black youth and empower Black communities. The organization has donated $3.6 million toward a scholarship fund, yearly campus tours, study-abroad excursions, counseling initiatives and volunteer programs. His streaming music company, Tidal, donated $1.5 million dollars to Black Lives Matter earlier this year. Oprah Donates to Education at Home and Abroad Oprah Winfrey is known for her large-scale donations. She has provided millions to aid Africa. The former talk show host's Operating Foundation had $19 million in assets in 2007. It was established solely to help the Leadership Academy in South Africa when it opened. Oprah has also given millions to Black colleges in America. Jackson State University in Mississippi is one of her largest recipients. Morehouse College has received millions from her as well.

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