On the grounds of Morehouse College, an institution rich in legacy, leadership and lineage, a conversation unfolded that speaks to the heart of progress, resilience and generational responsibility. It wasn’t just another college tour stop; it was a full-circle moment for a family rooted in love, driven by education and committed to the uplift of community. This was the Heritage College Tour, founded 33 years ago by Annie El-Amin, unfolding once more, but this time with her grandson as a student at the very place she once brought young scholars to visit.
Annie El-Amin, a mother, visionary and community pillar from Rochester, New York, founded the Heritage College Tour with a singular but powerful intent: to show young people what was possible. Not to push them toward a particular school or path, but to make the intangible feel within reach. “I wanted to give the kids a visual,” she reflected. “To see that people like themselves are doing this, you can do it too.”
Though she never attended an HBCU herself, Annie’s belief in their nurturing power came through conversation and observation. She recognized that for many youth in her community, particularly those of color, visibility could spark ambition. “Seeing a visual, putting themselves on campus, seeing that they too can do this is the best way to learn,” she said. And so began a three-decade-long movement.
Present during the Morehouse visit were three generations of the El-Amin family: Annie, her husband, Saadiq Sr., her son, Dr. Saadiq El-Amin, MD, PhD, a world renowned sports doctor and scientist, and her grandson, a proud sophomore at Morehouse. Their presence alone told a powerful story, but their words painted an even richer tapestry of legacy.
Dr. Saadiq El-Amin, MD, PhD, a nationally recognized orthopedist and proud son of Georgia’s soil, carries the scars and stories of a time when education was a distant dream. “My mom was taken out of school in the fourth grade to pick cotton,” he recalled. “That impressed upon me the importance of education and the legacy it holds in our family.” With multiple degrees and a client roster that includes the world’s top athletes, Dr. El-Amin has never forgotten his roots. “Although he takes care of NBA, NFL players all over the world,” one speaker noted, “he gives back to the community. He gives high school students, who may not have the same means, the same quality of care.”
What makes the Heritage College Tour so impactful isn’t simply the college visits; it’s the embodiment of what it means to be the village. Annie El-Amin emphasized that “family does not necessarily have to be a blood relative. A family can be someone who is very caring.” That ethos, reflected in the communal warmth of HBCUs and echoed in her life’s work, resonates deeply with every student she’s mentored over the years.
The presence of her nephew, affectionately dubbed “Mr. Chaperon,” further underscored how this movement is a family affair. More than a tour, it is a tradition, one that educates, empowers and uplifts entire communities.
Returning to Georgia decades after migrating north for better opportunity, the El-Amin family has come back not as seekers but as contributors, business owners, educators and role models. “It’s a fantastic testament of the progress and the resilience of our people,” Annie said, reflecting on her family’s journey.
The Heritage College Tour is more than a bus ride through campuses; it’s a generational mission to dismantle limitations and affirm excellence. And now, with a Morehouse Man in the family, the vision is not only alive, it is fulfilled.
As Dr. Saadiq El-Amin beautifully reminded us, quoting Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): “The best gift that a parent can give his child is a good education.”
It is a gift the El-Amins have given with open hands, full hearts and a legacy that continues to light the way forward.
