Dawn Descendants Scholarship Fund

Members of the Meadow Families Linked Descendant team: Left to Right: Karen Skelton, genealogist: Ann Morris, Rev. Robin Mines, Johnie Tillman, Mike Mines, Lea Ann Hansen, Kathi Austin, Nadira Branch, Kate Tweedy, Not present: Sawnie Morris

The scholarship fund was founded by Meadow Family Linked Descendants, a group who trace their histories back to the Meadow plantation in Virginia as descendants of enslavers and of  the enslaved. It honors the community of Dawn, settled near the former plantation by freed people after Emancipation, and its commitment to education

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To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must:

  • Have descended from someone who was enslaved in the Dawn, VA area
  • Be enrolled or accepted into a 2 or 4 year college or university 
  • Demonstrate financial need (determined by Student Aid Index (SAI) number listed on FAFSA)
  • Have a 2.5 GPA to be eligible and must maintain that GPA  each year to remain eligible

$5,000 to be awarded in 2026

The application period is open from: February 1 – April 30, 2026

To apply, click on the link below and select Dawn Descendants Scholarship Fund Application