The True Story of the Washerwoman Who Saved a Fortune and Gave It All Away to Black Students

What do you get when you mix radical generosity, unbridled determination, and a tenacious work ethic? Oseola McCarty, the Black Hattiesburg washerwoman who saved every penny she earned only to give it all away to deserving Black college students. Marking the 27th anniversary of her passing on September 26, The Root is exploring the enduring legacy of a humble woman whose life’s purpose was to uplift others—and whose extraordinary story you may have never heard.

At age 87, Oseola McCarty donated her entire life savings to The University of Southern Mississippi to establish a scholarship fund for deserving Black students in need of financial assistance. After 75 years of selfless work, she accumulated $150,000—a surprising amount given her low-paid occupation of ironing and handwashing clothes.

Her mother’s only child, McCarty was notoriously frugal and dedicated to serving others. As a girl, she saved money by keeping it in her doll buggy. As an adult, she only spent money on necessities and considered a newspaper subscription a luxury, according to the Oseola McCarty House. She never married nor had children, never owned a car, walked to get groceries, and rode with friends to Sunday church service.

Abandoning her dreams of becoming a nurse, she left school in the sixth grade to care for her aunt, who was recovering from surgery, she recalled in a February 1996 interview. After years of saving her wages, a Trustmark Bank employee noticed her accumulating funds and began assisting her with estate planning.

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Her financial plan included a 10% tithe to her church, with much of the remainder set aside specifically for The University of Southern Mississippi students—preferably those of African American descent—who could not otherwise attend due to financial hardship, forever changing philanthropy at the university.

In 1995, her purpose came into full fruition. After word spread of her selflessness, many were inspired to pay it forward, and an endowment in her name. “I can’t do everything,” McCarty said. “But I can do something to help somebody. And what I can do I will do. I wish I could do more.”

Little did she know, her “something” would completely rewrite the future. On March 7, 2025, what would have been her 117th birthday, the scholarship endowment she began with her transformative gift reached a $1 million corpus, USM announced. The scholarships, awarded to 20 students annually, continue to transform lives nearly three decades after her death, as more than 130 students from South Mississippi have received awards, according to the University of Southern Mississippi Foundation (USM).

 “Ms. McCarty’s donation was such a game changer because it has allowed others to donate and continue to grow the McCarty Scholars Program. I’m very grateful for that,” Destiny Johnson, a nursing graduate and McCarty Scholar, told USM. “Knowing that Ms. McCarty had to give up her dream of becoming a nurse to help her family made me even more determined to finish my degree.”

The University of Southern Mississippi honored her legacy in 1998, when she became the first recipient of an honorary doctorate. Overnight, the humble washerwoman became a national icon, appearing on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 1995 and “Late Night with David Letterman” the year after.

The woman who lived a life of simplicity with unshakable faith in God experienced a string of absolute firsts before she died of liver cancer in September 1999. Her life of sacrifice was honored with many accolades, including the Presidential Citizens Medal presented by President Bill Clinton, who rightfully hailed her as “a true American hero” in 1996.

“Our country needs more people like her, who don’t just talk about responsibility and community but who live those values everyday,” former President Clinton said of McCarty. But no one could articulate the power of her sacrifice quite like McCarty herself.

“When I leave this world, I can’t carry nothing away from here. Whatever I have, it’s going to be left here for somebody,” McCarty said. “Some child can get their education, to help them along, because you can’t do nothing now unless you get your education. I don’t regret one single penny I gave to the college. The only thing I regret is that I didn’t have that much more to give.”