CFA Celebrates Black History Month

February 06, 2020

The Community Foundation of Abilene recognizes and deeply appreciates the Black leaders who have worked with CFA over the years to make a positive impact on our community.

To honor some of those men and women, we have a series of three stories highlighting the immeasurable ways they have enhanced Abilene.

1) Dr. Leo and Piney Scott

The above video, while an understatement about their immeasurable impact, highlights some of the reasons Piney and Leo meant so much to Abilene and the Community Foundation of Abilene.

Dr. Scott was CFA's first Black board member, Abilene's first Black city council member, and the first Black pharmacist in our community.

Piney was a longtime educator, civic leader, and the first Black adjunct professor at Hardin-Simmons University.

The Scotts were a big part of the Greater Abilene Minister's Alliance scholarship at CFA and eventually started their own Leo and Piney Scott Scholarship fund.

2) Rev. Andrew Penns and I-CAN

"My promise was to myself as well as to God that I would help make a change . . . I still feel that there's more work for me to do."

Our second Black History Month story is about the founding of Interested Citizens of Abilene North (I-CAN) and the vital role Andrew Penns played in making that possible.

Chief Melvin Martin and Rev. Penns recount the events that led to the founding of I-CAN, an organization that has done incredible work to enhance our community.

CFA is grateful for the leadership Rev. Penns has brought to Abilene and for his and I-CAN's partnership with CFA over the years.

3) Curtis House

The transformation of Abilene's renown Curtis House into the cultural center preserving local Black history is a tremendous benefit to our community. 

CFA is grateful for all of the men and women who brought this vision to life and to those of our donors who supported this project.

And we just love the priceless photos and artifacts on display at the Curtis House! Several are featured in this video.