Morris College Wins the Lottery

In the summer of 2009, the Rev. Solomon Jackson Jr., a retired employee of the state of South Carolina, won the Powerball lottery. Jackson had the option of an annuity that would have paid him nearly $260 million over several decades or a one-time payment of $129 million. He chose the lump-sum payment.

Now, Jackson has donated $10 million of his lottery winnings to Morris College, the historically black educational institution in Sumter, South Carolina. Jackson attended Morris College in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The $10 million donation is the largest in the college’s history. The money will be used to build a new dormitory and repair the roof on another residence hall. Money will be set aside for scholarships and the remainder placed in the school’s endowment fund.

In addition to the gift to Morris College, Jackson has established the Solomon Jackson Jr. Scholarship Foundation to help students pay for college.