Prince's Story

On September 1, 2000, 25-year-old Prince Jones, Jr. was killed by a police officer. At the time of his death, Prince was completing his final semester at Howard University in Washington D.C.  He was a beloved son, brother, fiance, new father, and friend to many; but most of all, he was a scholar whose dreams were cut short by racial profiling and excessive police force. 

 

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Prince spent his formative years in Duncanville, Texas - a suburb of Dallas. Prince's interests were varied and eclectic. In his free time he could be found listening to hip hop artists Run DMC, Big Daddy Kane, Public Enemy and Poor Righteous Teachers; or playing video games, Dungeons and Dragons, roller skating or skate boarding. Prince was athletic and enjoyed skiing, basketball and track & field. He excelled both in and outside of the classroom. 

 

At the age of 16, Prince was accepted to The Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science (TAMS) at the University of North Texas (UNT), the nation's first early college entrance residential program for gifted high school students. As a college student at Howard University, Prince majored in Human Development. He was a member of the Drew Hall Step Team and a triple jumper for the Track & Field Team. Just months shy of obtaining his degree from Howard at the time of his death, his mother, Dr. Mable Jones, accepted his degree posthumously in May 2001.  

​

The Prince Jones, Jr. Foundation was created in 2017 to honor Prince and to ensure his legacy is not overshadowed by how his life ended. Prince was a bright and gifted young man, who valued education, family, and Black history and culture. The mission of the Prince Jones Jr. Foundation is two-fold: educating and uplifting students of the African Diaspora through scholarships, and ensuring that Prince's story, and our collective story as Black people are never forgotten.

​