The Bessie Smith Foundation is a non-profit organization that helps preserve and celebrate Black American history and culture through art, education, research, and entertainment. The foundation's goal is to signify the importance of education for Black Americans. Most of the grants are focused on granting scholarships for Black Americans that attend an accredited college or university.

The foundation was created in honor of the famous blues singer, Bessie Smith, who had a passion for education and wanted to make higher education accessible for people of color. Bessie Smith was a strong independent woman who valued a woman's ability to be who she is. Many women of all races are afraid to be themselves, but Bessie symbolizes that you can be anything you want. She was a strong and independent person who valued the strength of a woman to be her own person. The foundation also represents the importance of education for people of color.