Hancock Heritage Fellowship
Education is the key to changing the future. Immerse yourself in African American heritage and culture.
The Why
The summer of 2023 was transformative for me. Not only did it mark the end of my term as Mayor of Denver after three terms, totaling 12 years, but shortly after my last day in office, I embarked on a 21-day solo road trip across the Deep South. As an African American history enthusiast, this was the realization of a long-held dream. I initially saw this journey as a chance to relax, refocus, reconnect spiritually and culturally, and visit historic African American sites, including former slave plantations, history museums, and other less famous but still interesting places like Bryant’s Grocery and Meat Market in Greenville, MS. In this store, Emmitt Till allegedly whistled at the white woman.
This journey impacted me much more than I initially expected. I consider it one of the most meaningful travel experiences I've ever had, along with my trips to South Africa and Israel. While I planned it to reconnect personally, I left with a powerful purpose: to honor the sacrifices, resilience, incredible courage, and valuable contributions of African Americans to America, as well as the brilliance of our ancestors. This purpose created a new mission for me: to promote, educate, and protect African American history by boldly sharing it with young people. In the end, I realized that people cannot erase history or the uncomfortable truths that sometimes come with it. As author and philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember [learn] from the past are condemned to repeat it.”
To help accomplish this mission, I established the Hancock Foundation, Inc. Its goal is to promote greater cultural awareness and education across all segments of society.
-Micheal B. Hancock, Founder/CEO
The Action
The Hancock Family Foundation is proud to present the Hancock Heritage Fellowship 2026. For the year 2026, the program will induct 10 to 15 high school sophomores and juniors to participate in an eight-month immersive African American History Fellowship.
The deep immersive experience will include a study of African American (AA) history and field practicums at historic sites and museums across the United States.
The Plan
The first Cohort class will be selected in the Winter of 2026. The Application portal will be open from December 2025 to January 5, 2026. We anticipate that this selection process will be highly competitive. Each Fellow will be awarded a stipend to participate in a highly controlled and disciplined program. The program will commence in June. The program is divided into four phases, including extensive travel across the deep south and other regions designated by program staff. Attendance in program activities is mandatory. Therefore, prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with their parents and review all summer commitments to ensure availability before applying. Participation exemptions are on an emergency or familial requests basis and may prevent full receipt of the stipend allocation. A formal graduation and induction ceremony will be held after the program in Late Summer 2026.
The Foundation will track and periodically convene each cohort for quality check-ins and programming. Plans include developing scholarships and partnerships with higher education institutions for Fellows who plan to major in Black History.
Tentative 2026 Fellowship Program Framework
| Schedule | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| April 18 | Mandatory Parent Orientation | TBD | June 6 | Mandatory Fellow Orientation | TBD |
| Phase I Week 1: June 8-12 |
Denver Classroom | Lincoln Hills |
| Week 2: June 14-20, Excursion | Slavery and Reconstruction | TBD |
| Phase II Week 3: June 22-23 |
Denver Classroom | TBD |
| Week 4: June 24-July 3, Excursion | Civil Rights and Jim Crow | Atlanta |
| Week 5: July 3-8 | Holiday Break | |
| Week 6: July 9-10 | Denver Classroom | Denver |
| Phase III Week 7: July 12-19 |
Resilience and Triumph | Boulder County |
| Phase IV Week 8: August 3-8 |
Fellowship Project Week | Denver |
| August 13 | Fellowship Graduation | Denver |