Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey Launches Second Annual HBCU Old Fashioned Challenge

By Dennis Schultz

Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, the world’s leading Black-owned spirits brand, is proud to announce the commencement of its second annual HBCU Old Fashioned Challenge. This nationwide initiative aims to raise funds for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), with a goal of reaching $1.4 million—equivalent to one full in-state tuition scholarship per accredited HBCU. The challenge kicked off on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday, January 15) and will run through Juneteenth (Tuesday, June 19).

In 2023, federal officials reported that 16 states had been underfunding their HBCUs by nearly $13 billion over the past 30 years, as per the U.S. Department of Education’s analysis. Tennessee, Uncle Nearest’s home state, was noted for underfunding its school’s land grants the most. Through the Old Fashioned Challenge, Uncle Nearest aims not only to raise funds but also to spotlight the vital role HBCUs play. Despite comprising less than 3% of colleges, HBCUs have a proven track record of removing barriers to degree completion and postgraduate success. Graduates from HBCUs constitute 50% of Black doctors and Black attorneys, 40% of Black engineers and Black members of Congress, and 80% of Black judges.

Fawn Weaver, Founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest, expressed the brand’s commitment to education, revealing that even before selling the first bottle of Uncle Nearest, they were already funding the college education of Nearest Green’s descendants. Weaver envisions continuing this tradition annually, with checks growing larger as the Uncle Nearest whiskey family expands.

From now until June 19, 2024, the public can actively participate in the Uncle Nearest HBCU Old Fashioned Challenge through various avenues:

• Ordering an Uncle Nearest Old Fashioned at participating bars and restaurants, where one dollar will be donated per cocktail ordered.
• Purchasing any bottle of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey at participating online and brick-and-mortar retail stores, with one dollar donated per bottle purchased.
• Purchasing an Old Fashioned Bundle through ReserveBar, where two dollars will be donated for every bundle purchased.
• Submitting a photo of a homemade Uncle Nearest Old Fashioned to www.oldfashionedcocktail.com, contributing one dollar per entry.

Victoria Eady Butler, great-great-granddaughter of Nearest Green and four-time Master Blender of the Year, acknowledged the unique nature of this challenge, expressing gratitude to the whiskey family and partners across the country for joining in the impactful initiative.

As Uncle Nearest continues its commitment to “pulling as we climb,” the HBCU Old Fashioned Challenge stands as a special opportunity for the whiskey community to unite in giving back to HBCUs and fostering positive change.