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The Promise: How One Woman Made Good on Her Extraordinary Pact to Send a Classroom of 1st Graders to College
In the bestselling tradition of The Pact and The Freedom Writers Diary —the inspiring story of one woman’s extraordinary promise and steely determination to make a difference in the world.
One morning in 1987 Oral Lee Brown walked into a corner store in East Oakland, California, to buy snacks for work. A little girl asked her for a quarter, and Brown assumed that she wanted to buy candy, but surprisingly she bought bread and bologna—staples for her family.
Later that day Brown couldn’t get the little girl out of her mind. Why wasn’t she in school? Why was she out begging for money to buy food for her family? After several weeks of not being able to sleep, Brown went to look for the girl at the local elementary school and soon found herself in a first-grade classroom. She didn’t find the little girl, but before she left she found herself promising the kids that if they finished high school, she would pay for their college education.
At the time, Oral Lee Brown made only $45,000 a year.
But years later, after annually saving and investing $10,000 of her own money and establishing the Oral Lee Brown Foundation, this remarkable woman made good on her after nineteen of the original twenty-three students graduated from high school, she sent them all to college. And in May of 2003, LaTosha Hunter was the first of Brown’s “babies,” as well as the first person in her family, to graduate from college.
This marvelous and inspiring book is the amazing story of one woman's unending desire to make a difference. And if once was not enough, in 2001 Brown made the same promise to three new classrooms of first-, fifth-, and ninth-graders. Brown and her foundation are now committed to adopting a new crop of kids to send to college every four years.
Brown’s pledge to the students was not without great personal and public sacrifice. Her promise turned her life upside-down—it strained her relationships, and at times required her to work several different jobs. Brown also developed a strong emotional attachment to the children—for many of these students Brown was the one consistent adult in their lives.
In a world short on heroes, altruism, and dedication, THE PROMISE shows that it is still possible to change lives for the better. This book will encourage, uplift, and inspire every reader.
A portion of the proceeds from the book will go to the Oral Lee Brown Foundation. To learn more about the Oral Lee Brown Foundation please visit www.oralleebrownfoundation.com .
One morning in 1987 Oral Lee Brown walked into a corner store in East Oakland, California, to buy snacks for work. A little girl asked her for a quarter, and Brown assumed that she wanted to buy candy, but surprisingly she bought bread and bologna—staples for her family.
Later that day Brown couldn’t get the little girl out of her mind. Why wasn’t she in school? Why was she out begging for money to buy food for her family? After several weeks of not being able to sleep, Brown went to look for the girl at the local elementary school and soon found herself in a first-grade classroom. She didn’t find the little girl, but before she left she found herself promising the kids that if they finished high school, she would pay for their college education.
At the time, Oral Lee Brown made only $45,000 a year.
But years later, after annually saving and investing $10,000 of her own money and establishing the Oral Lee Brown Foundation, this remarkable woman made good on her after nineteen of the original twenty-three students graduated from high school, she sent them all to college. And in May of 2003, LaTosha Hunter was the first of Brown’s “babies,” as well as the first person in her family, to graduate from college.
This marvelous and inspiring book is the amazing story of one woman's unending desire to make a difference. And if once was not enough, in 2001 Brown made the same promise to three new classrooms of first-, fifth-, and ninth-graders. Brown and her foundation are now committed to adopting a new crop of kids to send to college every four years.
Brown’s pledge to the students was not without great personal and public sacrifice. Her promise turned her life upside-down—it strained her relationships, and at times required her to work several different jobs. Brown also developed a strong emotional attachment to the children—for many of these students Brown was the one consistent adult in their lives.
In a world short on heroes, altruism, and dedication, THE PROMISE shows that it is still possible to change lives for the better. This book will encourage, uplift, and inspire every reader.
A portion of the proceeds from the book will go to the Oral Lee Brown Foundation. To learn more about the Oral Lee Brown Foundation please visit www.oralleebrownfoundation.com .
272 pages, Hardcover
First published April 5, 2005
5 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 24, 2009
The story of an amazing woman who in 1987 made a spontaneous promise to a classroom of first graders that if they graduated from high school, she would pay for their college educations. Oral Lee Brown was far from a rich woman at the time, but by saving, investing, and establishing a foundation, she found a way to make good on her promise. Over the years, she become mentor, friend, and surrogate parent to the students. Her foundation is still in existence and still sending students to college. I found this book to be inspiring; it defintely shows that students live up to what you expect of them.
May 7, 2018
I love the inspiration that memoirs often provide, and this one was over the top in that way. Oral Lee Brown was not a teacher or employee of the school system, as I first imagined, when she promised 23 first-graders that if they graduated from high school, she would pay for their college studies. She was far from wealthy but she started a foundation. You get to know some of the students in that first group. Black and living in East Oakland, they had challenges to deal with at home and in life. What happened? I'll leave the details for you to find out, but like I said the book was inspiring.
Then she chose more students and started over, knowing a lot more this time around...
Then she chose more students and started over, knowing a lot more this time around...
September 13, 2019
10 word summary: Oral Lee promised college tuition to 23 kids. She delivered.
#ittakesmorethanmoney #ittakestime #ittakeslove #ittakesguts #authenticvoice
🦔🦔🦔🦔 I've decided this one is well worth my time and yours too.
#ittakesmorethanmoney #ittakestime #ittakeslove #ittakesguts #authenticvoice
🦔🦔🦔🦔 I've decided this one is well worth my time and yours too.
April 21, 2024
The premise behind the author’s goal is well thought out. I disliked how she kept referring to the students as her “babies.” This word seemed to infantalize the students even when they were in high school and college.
August 29, 2025
One woman’s effort to help some of the poorest kids in her neighborhood make a better life for themselves by promising to pay for their college if they graduate from high school. Against all odds and through hard work on their part and hers, they all manage to succeed. Inspiring and enlightening!
January 4, 2020
How can one person truly change the world? This is an amazing story of one woman's quest to provide education to our poorest children in the US.
October 29, 2014
Excellent. A great story. One can still find good leaders today. Oral Lee Brown's narrative style made it like I was having a one-on-one discussion with her on who she was and what she did. She did a lot more than fund college education for that class of first graders -- she assembled a support system that worked with the students from first grade through high school graduation, and beyond to get it done. Her interspersed candid views on parenting, discipline, hard work, and taking personal responsibility were wise.
August 30, 2012
This book was a true Blessing to read. It will forever impact my life of the thoughfullness and giving of one single person. This book was a true story. It will hold your intrest it will make you sad and happy all at once. But mostly you will feel very good after reading this book. It will challenge your thinking to what can I do to improve someone's life. I recommend this book for a must read, for parents , students, teachers and all people wanting to make a diffrent in this world.
November 22, 2013
A very heartwarming story of how one woman wanted to send a class of first-graders to college and how she worked with them year after year to make sure they had the support they needed and anything else (shoes, food, someone to cry to). She made a promise and stuck to it, and ended up forming the Oral Lee Brown Foundation. A great book to read about kids who have everything working against them, but then succumbing to the odds and succeeding in life.
December 14, 2009
Great book about a poor woman from Mississippi who moved to Oakland, raised a family and decided to help a whole class of 1st graders from East Oakland go to college. The kids have now gone to college and she gives updates on how and what they are doing. Very inspirational story about one woman (who is not rich herself) making a HUGE difference in the world!
December 13, 2007
A woman vows to send an oakland class of 1st graders to college. This is the story of how she saves/raises the money and the bond she develops with the class as they age. Inspiring story of how one woman made a large impact in the lives of 25 inner city youth.
April 14, 2008
A practical and inspiring book about making an individual difference. This is not a sugar coated miracle book but a real look at an amazing sacrifice. It made me think deeply about what my contribution needs to be....
September 19, 2008
This was so inspiring. Oral Lee Brown is an incredible lady. I was touched by her story of the promise she made to a class of first-graders living in East Oakland to send them to college. I wish everyone had a heart like hers.
July 11, 2008
Inspiring but a little preachy and as someone who works in education, I didn't feel it was always a balanced view.
November 2, 2023
Very inspiring book and woman.
June 10, 2010
One person can truly make a difference.
INSPIRING!
INSPIRING!
August 11, 2013
Well-written, I enjoyed reading this book very much. Fascinating stories and very uplifting. I feel like this should be a "must-read" for students in public schools.
March 3, 2014
amazing story
April 4, 2014
A well written, inspirational story about caring about others, and committing one's life to helping them. Oral Lee Brown is an amazing woman; there are very few like her.
November 28, 2015
A good deed, but not a good read. The author's ego and 'aw shucks' style also wore on me.
February 3, 2016
Excellent story and worth the read. Writing style is only thing that reduces the stars.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews