By Zekeya A. Harrison
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The legacy of Tennessee State University alumnus Charles Howard Kimbrough Sr. will endure through future generations of students, thanks to a $5,000 scholarship gift established by his sons in honor of their parents.
Wendell Kimbrough and his brother, Carlton E. Kimbrough, are contributing $5,000 to TSU’s College of Agriculture through two family foundations: $2,500 from the Ruby Charles Foundation, named for their parents’ first names, and $2,500 from the Louise Howard Foundation, named for their parents’ middle names.
After serving in the military, Charles Kimbrough Sr. attended TSU in the 1950s, earning both his undergraduate and graduate degrees. He studied agriculture with the ambition of becoming a professional farmer, but his path ultimately led him into public education. He went on to build a distinguished career as a teacher, principal and administrator in the East St. Louis School District in Illinois.
Although his professional career centered on school administration, Kimbrough never lost his passion for agriculture. He maintained an expansive backyard garden, applying his agricultural knowledge daily while raising a family grounded in strong educational values.
“He was just a guy who believed that education was freedom for Black people,” Wendell Kimbrough said.
That conviction became a guiding principle for the family and the primary motivation behind the brothers’ philanthropic efforts. Establishing scholarship at TSU and another at Langston University, the mother’s alma mater, offered a meaningful way to honor the foundational role higher education played in their family’s success.
“Education is freedom” was a constant mantra in the Kimbrough household, Wendell recalled. Before formalizing long-term charitable commitments, the brothers felt it was essential to recognize the specific institutions that shaped their parents’ educational journeys.
The Kimbrough family’s deep connection to TSU and the city of Nashville spans multiple generations. Wendell and his brothers, Charles Jr. and Carlton, were born at Meharry Medical College while their father was completing his degrees at TSU and their mother was working as a social worker at Meharry.
Carlton later followed in his father’s footsteps by attending TSU, further cementing the family’s bond with the university.
Though Charles Kimbrough Sr. did not pursue commercial farming, his dedication to cultivating growth extended seamlessly from his garden into the classroom and his home.
“Our joke was, the moment that we outgrew our basketball court, that concrete was destroyed and we had the largest garden in the backyard in East St. Louis,” Wendell said. “My dad used to say, ‘I just grew educators’ and kept moving forward.”
Through their financial contributions, the Kimbrough brothers are carrying that mission forward, investing in the historic institutions that shaped their upbringing and expanding access for future leaders.
“The story of Charles Howard Kimbrough Sr. is a testament to the transformative power of a TSU education and the lasting impact of family,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture. “His lifelong passion for agriculture and his belief that ‘education is freedom’ reflect the core values of our College of Agriculture. We are immensely grateful to Wendell and Carlton Kimbrough for honoring their parents’ legacy in such a meaningful way, helping us cultivate future leaders who will carry that same vision forward.”
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public land-grant university offering 41 bachelor’s degrees, 15 graduate certificates, 27 master’s degrees, and nine doctoral degrees. TSU’s campus spans 500 acres. The university is committed to academic excellence, providing students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders. Visit tnstate.edu for more details.
