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Oseola McCarty PHILANTHROPIST money in several banks and her life savings had accumulated to more than she needed. With the help of bank personnel, she worked out a plan to cover funds to care for her if she needed assistance and to provide an inheritance for the few members of her extended family. What was left – $150,000 and approximately 60 percent of her $250,000 life savings – she gave to the University of Southern Mississippi. She designated that the gift start a scholarship fund. Having very little formal education, she valued education and hoped that her money might help a talented African-American achieve a degree. Word spread quickly of McCarty’s gift. The fund grew, via additional endowments from other USM supporters and Americans moved by Oseola’s gift, and she became a celebrity. Within a year, she had been interviewed by every major media company, received the Presidential Citizen’s Medal from President Clinton, received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree from Harvard, and was one of Barbara Walters “Ten Most Exciting People of 1995.” Oseola McCarty is the University of Southern Mississippi’s most
In October of 1996, her book, Simple Wisdom for Rich Living
well-known benefactor. Born in Wayne County, Mississippi, on
was released. A review of the book in Newsweek, said that
March 7, 1908, she moved to Hattiesburg as a small child. Upon
McCarty reminds us, “That even the humblest among us can leave
the illness of her aunt, McCarty quit school in the sixth grade to
the world a better place for having walked on it.” Her simple
help the family make ends meet and to care for her aunt and
secrets for living a rich life included recognizing the difference
grandmother. She took in laundry and ironing – charging the
between wants and needs and being happy and thankful with
going rate of $1.50 per bundle.
what life has to offer. A book written about her, The Riches of
She ran her laundry business for 75 years and served multiple generations of clients. She put what she didn’t need in the bank. When
Oseola McCarty, by Evelyn Coleman, is on the required reading text of many educational syllabi throughout the world.
she started charging $10 per bundle – she thinks it was, “Sometime
At the age of 91, Oseola McCarty died in 1999 of liver cancer, in
after the war, I commenced to save money. I would put it in savings.
Hattiesburg. Her legacy lives on through the nine students who have
Never would take any of it out. I just put it in. It just accumulated.”
attended USM on the Oceola McCarty Scholarship to date. And by
In 1967, McCarty was left alone after the deaths of her grand-
the countless individuals who have been touched by her generosity.
mother, mother, and aunt. She kept washing
In an interview with USM, she was asked why
and living frugally in the home she inherited
she didn’t spend the money on herself, her reply
from her uncle. She didn’t own a car and
was, “Oh, but I did.”
walked everywhere she needed to go – including the local supermarket, which was
Thanks for the lessons, Oseola. May we continue to learn from your richly lived life. ■
more than a mile away. Arthritis forced McCarty into retirement in 1995. At the age of 87 and having taken care of her family and other people’s laundry for more than 75 years, McCarty had no one to take care of her. She now had her
Dr. Aubrey K. Lucas, then President of the University of Southern Mississippi,presenting Oseola McCarty with an honorary degree. She is pictured above with her favorite book.
1908 -1999
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