Filmmaker Perry donates $1M to NAACP

Baltimore Sun

BALTIMORE — Observers say the $1 million donated by Tyler Perry to the NAACP on Monday might spark several other hefty donations from wealthy black philanthropists, gifts that could help revive the civil-rights organization as it continues to face questions about its relevancy.

Perry’s donation marks the largest gift from an individual in the Baltimore-based organization’s 100-year history. Maxim Thorne, the NAACP’s senior vice president, said he hopes it will mark a shift in black charity.

Thorne added that throughout the years, the NAACP has depended primarily on donations from foundations and middle-class supporters, but money from wealthy minorities “just hasn’t been available.”