Washington-- The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, and Promised Land Film are pleased to announce that they have awarded $4,000 grants to four historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The grant will allow institutions to use the award-winning documentary, The New Black, as a tool to advance on-campus LGBT inclusion.

“Engaging in meaningful dialogue at HBCUs is an important tool in helping develop a cadre of empowered student leaders with an intersectional understanding of justice,” said HRC Foundation’s Youth and Campus Engagement Manager Samantha Master.

The effort is made possible through a partnership between HRC Foundation’s HBCU Project and Promised Land Film. The grants will be awarded to Alabama State University, Johnson C. Smith University, Spelman College, and Tennessee State University.

The documentary, directed by Yoruba Richen, explores how race, faith, justice, and identity intersected in Maryland’s politically powerful African-American community in 2012 as the state prepared to vote on marriage equality. The colleges and universities will screen the documentary and host post-film discussions.

“I’m impressed with the creative and innovative ways the colleges and universities want to use the film to foster awareness of LGBT issues and create more welcoming campuses,” Richen said. “This is exactly the kind of HBCU partnership I envisioned when I made the film and it is especially meaningful that these fall screenings and events will take place in the South -- the cradle of our civil rights movement.”

The HRC Foundation and Richen view their effort as one that will encourage meaningful conversations on HBCU campuses around the intersections of racial and LGBT justice.