The Murphy Girls Scholarship — an $1000 award — supports the next generation of Black women journalists, who are passionate about telling Black stories.
Our mission is to help remove financial barriers to their education and empower them to carry forward the Murphy Girls’ legacy of journalistic excellence, leadership, and service to their communities.
The Murphy Girls Scholarship was created by Joi-Marie Murphy McKenzie Lewis to honor the extraordinary lineage of trailblazing Black women journalists known affectionately as the Murphy Girls—the daughters of Afro-American Newspaper publisher Carl Murphy and Vashti Turley Murphy.
From breaking barriers as the first Black woman overseas war correspondent during World War II, to serving in the historic Six Triple Eight Battalion, to leading as editors and publishers of the Afro-American, the Murphy Girls helped shape journalism while ensuring Black stories were told, preserved, and valued.
Winners:
- 2025: Destiny Givens, Howard University, Class of 2028
- 2026: Olivia Pierre, Howard University, Class of 2030
- 2026: Rebekah L. Pierce, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Class of 2030
Applications are closed until 2027.
For questions about this scholarship, please contact The Murphy Girls Scholarship.