Honor the legacy of a civil rights icon and music educator who changed the course of history

Through her courage and determination, Ms. Early has made an indelible mark on UGA, and we are pleased to honor her legacy by launching a campaign to name the College for her. Gifts in support of the naming will create the Mary Frances Early College of Education Endowment which will:

• Support diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the College and across UGA.
• Provide scholarships for students.

On August 16, 1962, Mary Frances Early (M.M.Ed. '62, Ed.S. '67), made Georgia history by becoming the first African American to graduate from the University of Georgia. After reading about Charlayne Hunter-Gault and Hamilton Holmes, the first two African American students admitted to UGA, Early decided to join their struggle and join the desegregation effort at UGA, where she played an integral role in the campaign for racial equality.

"I felt I needed to open the doors of the grad school," said Early. "I wanted to do something instead of just stand on the sidelines. You have to be an activist if you want to see change made. I was a very quiet person— an unlikely person to integrate UGA. But having grown up during a time when everything was separate, but not equal—I was tired of that."

Please help us commemorate Mary Frances Early's legacy and open doors for generations of UGA students to come. Visit our campaign website for more information.

Giving Levels

Friend
$1 - $1,499

Champion
$1,500 - $9,999

Pathfinder
$10,000 - $24,999

Trailblazer
$25,000 - $249,999

Groundbreaker Society
Black: $250,000 - $499,999
Red: $500,000 - $999,999
Silver: $1 million+