Nat King Cole Society, Inc. Scholarship Fund

It’s that special time of the year when we again reflect on the legacy of the incomparable Nat King Cole. This is our 29th Nat King Cole Society, Inc. Annual Scholarship Awards Fundraiser.

The Nat King Cole Society, Inc. will be awarding scholarships in his honor to outstanding Montgomery County public school students attending Alabama State University and enrolled in its Departments of Music and Theatre Arts. The scholarships themselves and the criteria for receiving them were established and carefully nurtured by Society Founder Amos Harris.

Many of these deserving young people have realized their dreams of a college education and beyond thanks to your loyal and generous support of the Society and the Nat King Cole Scholarship Program. Since its inception, the Society has been able to increase the size of the scholarships, and it has often been crucial to the student’s ability to stay in school. We are requesting your support and sponsorship in one of the following areas: Platinum: $25,000, Bronze: $20,000, Gold: $15,000, and Silver: $10,000. Individual contributions are also welcomed.

The scholarship program is such an appropriate tribute to the late great Nat King Cole, who was a trailblazer for many African American aspiring musicians in the huge but not necessarily inclusive entertainment industry. It is all about opening doors of opportunity, and Nat King Cole did plenty of that on his way from his beginnings in Montgomery, Alabama, to becoming one of the most famous national and international entertainers.

The Society is very appreciative of your generosity, and we hope that you will continue your support with a tax-deductible contribution to the scholarship fund. Simply send your contribution to the Nat King Cole Society, Inc., a 501c(3) non-profit organization, at Post Office Box 1687, Montgomery, AL 36104. We look forward to your support which will help us memorialize Nat King Cole’s unmatched accomplishments and extend his legacy to future generations. Over the last twenty-eight years, the Nat King Cole Society, Inc. has financially supported over approximately 500 young men and women to help further their educational careers.

About the Nat King Cole Society

Amos Harris founded the Nat King Cole Society, Inc. in 1994 to preserve Nathaniel Adams Cole’s, best known to the world as Nat King Cole, birth home at 1524 St. John Street, Montgomery, AL 36106; keep his music and legacy alive in Montgomery and the world; establish a park and statue in his honor; establish a scholarship for the high school seniors, Magnet School of the Performing Arts of Montgomery, AL; make Nat King Cole’s Birthday Celebration an annual event, with an invitation that sent nationally to visit Montgomery, AL.

Harris, a retired Chicago Police Officer, purchased Cole’s birth home in Montgomery, AL in 1983 and later sold it to Alabama State University, where it resides today. The house is 1200 square feet and consists of four rooms with the original wooden tongue and grove floors, walls, and ceilings. Plans are underway to expedite the renovation of the historic house using 21st Century technology. The plan provides for the installation of state of the art, interactive and multimedia exhibits, along with the display of period furniture. The Nat King Cole Society is also a supporter of the restoration of Nat King Cole’s home and has pledged $30,000 to the National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and African American Culture at Alabama State University for its ongoing campaign to make the home an interactive historical national treasure.

Although Amos Harris transitioned into eternal rest in 2011, his dream that new generations of music lovers would come to learn and appreciate Nat King Cole’s legacy.