Filmmaker Tyler Perry gifts $1mn to NAACP

The Hollywood star made the hefty donation to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the organization.

The 40-year-old actor/director/screenwriter Perry announced Monday that he will give $1 million to National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) over a period of four years.

Perry gifts record money
The money donated by the actor/filmmaker is the largest donation ever made by an individual to the organization.

In a statement, Perry said: "I feel so honored and blessed to be in a position where I can give to the NAACP."

He continued: "Had it not been for the perseverance and vision of the thousands who came before me in the 100 years of this legendary organization, I would not be in the position I am in today.

“I continue to be thankful for the tireless work of the NAACP, and I am proud to be able to help in their mission to fight for the equality of all people, and to work towards the elimination of discrimination against race."

NAACP thanks Perry for generous support
NAACP also thanked the entertainer for his generous donation, which will be used to support advocacy programs for health care, criminal justice, and economic equality education over the next four years.

"We are honored that Tyler Perry chose to support the NAACP," Julian Bond, chairman of the NAACP, said in a statement.

"Tyler is a courageous pioneer in bringing positive images of African American culture and struggles to the screen. His remarkable journey from poverty and childhood abuse to become one of the world's most successful filmmakers and entrepreneurs is an inspiration to us all," Bond continued.

Maxim Thorne, senior vice president of the NAACP, added, "Tyler Perry is setting a high standard for others to follow."

A bit on the entertainer and philanthropist Perry
Tyler Perry (born Sept. 14, 1969) is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and author who made a name for himself by doing stage plays, movies and TV shows with broad appeal to African-American audiences.

In July of 2009, Perry sponsored 65 children from a Philadelphia day camp to go to Walt Disney World after having heard that a suburban swim club had shunned them because of reported racism.

"I want them to know that for every act of evil that a few people will throw at you, there are millions more who will do something kind for them," Perry wrote on his website at the time.