Women Crowdsource Funding for Barber-Scotia College

Supporters of Barber-Scotia College, a historically Black college in North Carolina, are asking more than 100,000 women to donate to keep the college afloat.

A fundraising campaign by a group called the 144K Collective is calling on 144,000 women to donate at least $1.44 toward the college’s financial future. Barber-Scotia, which was founded as a Black women’s college in 1867 but has since become coed, has struggled financially and lost its accreditation in 2004.

Kirbie Speights, secretary of the 144K Collective, told WCNC that she was inspired by the college’s history and Women’s History Month to launch the grassroots effort.

“There’s no better time to be a woman and to make an impact,” Speights said.

The college’s president, Chris V. Rey, said in a video message in January that the college had “completely run out of money.” He and his administration are working to regain accreditation and pull off a comeback.

He told WCNC he’ll take all the help he can get.

“If you want to take over handling the maintenance of the grass on campus, I would receive that,” Rey said. “If you have access to individuals who can fix the roof, I need it all here at Barber-Scotia right now.”