Nearest Green, nor his wife, Harriet could read or write. That was the reality of most slaves and their children. Education was scarce and work was plentiful. But what Nearest Green developed was a craft and that great talent opened doors for him to succeed.
Records show Nearest became the wealthiest African-American in Lynchburg, Tennessee immediately following the end of slavery and one of the wealthiest men in the area overall. His wealth exceeded many of his white counterparts, which was incredibly rare in that day and age. But it was the excellence in his craft that allowed him to succeed in spite of his original circumstances.
It is this legacy of hard work we are committed to passing down on his behalf to each of his descendants. He didn’t have the ability to go to school but his descendants do and through the Nearest Green Legacy Scholarship, we are committing to those who get accepted into college that we will ensure they don’t have to worry about how to pay for it.
The inaugural class of scholarship recipients were announced in September 2017 with seven descendants receiving full scholarships. Those students are now enrolled at Texas A&M, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Motlow State College, Auburn University, Enterprise State, College of DuPage and Missouri State University.
There are only four straightforward requirements for the Nearest Green Legacy Scholarship. Recipients must:
- Be a direct descendant of Nathan “Nearest” Green (his bloodline).
- Be a first time college attendee.
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout their time in college.
- Submit transcripts following each semester. Every recipient who maintains a 3.0 GPA or higher will be granted a scholarship for the following semester paying for tuition and books.
This scholarship is funded by generous donors and proceeds from the book, Jack Daniel’s Legacy..
DESCENDANTS: SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION OR SEMESTER TRANSCRIPTS HERE (Password Required)
Don’t have a password? Ask the family member who told you about the scholarship or send an email to scholarship@nearestgreen.org, include your immediate Green family tree. A password will then be emailed.