Education Secretary Betsy DeVos made a $199,700 salary as a Cabinet member in 2018. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images education DeVos donates her salary to historically black colleges, 6 other groups

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos donated a portion of her government salary to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, a group of public historically black colleges and universities, the group announced Wednesday.

“Out of all the higher education organizations in the country she could have selected, we can’t thank Mrs. DeVos enough for her trust, belief in and support for TMCF, the mission and our 47 member-schools,” Harry L. Williams, TMCF president and CEO, said in a statement.


It's the latest example of her warming relationship with HBCUs, which got off to a rocky start when she issued a statement in 2017 calling the schools — founded during an era of racial segregation — "real pioneers when it comes to school choice.” Later that year, she was booed by hundreds of graduating seniors at a historically black university in Florida as she delivered the school's commencement address.

But DeVos has since drawn praise from leaders, in part for her work on a capital financing program that's helped their financially struggling schools.

“Mrs. DeVos has taken the time to consistently meet, listen and work with TMCF, learning more about the needs and value of our schools throughout her time at the Department of Education," Williams said. "We have had a productive and impactful working relationship with Mrs. DeVos and her entire team.”

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DeVos made a $199,700 salary as a Cabinet member in 2018. The college fund would not say how much she gave. Nor would an Education Department spokesperson.

DeVos, a billionaire philanthropist, has a long history of donating to groups that support expanding access to charter schools and private schools and religious organizations, among other causes. Last year, she divided her government salary among four nonprofits, including the Special Olympics.

Besides the college fund, DeVos this year also gave unspecified amounts to:

— The Travis Manion Foundation, a nonprofit supporting veterans.

— The Kennedy Center's Any Given Child initiative.

— The National Academy Foundation, a national network supporting STEM education.

— The Children's Scholarship Fund, a nonprofit school choice group.

— Jesse Lewis Choose Love, a social-emotional learning program.

— The Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation, which supports children with cancer and their families.