Earlier this year, Calcea Johnson and Ne’Kiya Jackson, two seniors of the St. Mary’s Academy in New Orleans, used trigonometry to solve a 2000 year old math problem that the Pythagorean theorem once deemed impossible. After watching a “60 Minutes” report about this incredible achievement, NBA legend Charles Barkley lauded the former students and pledged $1 million to the prep school.
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“These beautiful Black women, man, they’re just the high achievers. A lot is demanded of everybody at the school – high excellence. And these two Black women did something in mathematics that was just incredible. It just inspired me,” Barkley said.
It was reported that the two youngsters tirelessly worked for months to arrive at the solution. Calcea’s parents revealed that the garbage can was always full of papers because it would take over 20 or 30 pages for just one problem.
When Calcea and Ne’Kiya finished and submitted their proof to the American Mathematical Society for recognition at a conference in March 2023, their parents along with the teachers at St, Mary’s recognized the importance of their work. Barkley was quick to notice this and made a donation to the school.
The Round Mound of Rebound is quite a philanthropist and often indulges in such acts of donations. Being one of the highest-paid analysts in the industry, the 61-year-old uses his $80 million net worth for noble causes.
Apart from donating large amounts to his alma mater University of Auburn, Barkley has also given back to the community where he was born and brought up. With hopes to see several black women become successful entrepreneurs, the ex-TNT analyst had also pledged to donate $1 million to IT startups, in specific, run by black women.
“I’m announcing right now, I am pledging $1 million to black women in Alabama to start I.T. startups,” Barkley declared in 2017.
“That does not mean restaurants and hair salons, black women,” Barkley clarified.
Barkley has often found himself in the headlines for such acts of generosity. Knowing the selfless personality that he is, this will certainly not be the last time he’s donating such large amounts.
