HUNTINGDON COLLEGE
News Release
February 4, 2024
For more information, contact:
Dr. Anthony Leigh, aleigh@hawks.huntingdon.edu
Huntingdon Art Exhibit to Feature Works of Anthony Brock
Montgomery, Ala. – Huntingdon College’s annual Black History Month Art Exhibit, sponsored by the Black Student Union, will feature the work of Montgomery artist and widely-acclaimed educator Anthony Brock. Mr. Brock is the Head of School and Co-Founder of Valiant Cross Academy. An artist reception will take place in the Seay Twins Art Gallery on Tuesday, February 27, at 7:00 p.m.
“Void” is the title Mr. Brock has chosen for his collection that will be exhibited. “This collection of things and people who have inspired me came about from the void of losing my father in 2022,” stated Mr. Brock. “God gave me more capacity after assisting my mom and sibling everyday care for him before his passing. The void inspired me to pick up a brush!”
Anthony Brock is a native of Montgomery, Alabama, and a graduate of Sidney Lanier High School. He has received two degrees from Alabama State University and is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of West Alabama. The Autauga County school system employed him for 13 years. During that time, he served as a Head Football Coach at Prattville Junior High, an At-Risk Specialist for the Autauga County Board of Education, Assistant Principal at Prattville Elementary School, and Principal of the Second Chance Alternative School. Mr. Brock was also the last Principal at St. Jude Educational Institute in Montgomery. He is also the Founder of the Brother2Brother and Sister2Sister Mentoring Program, which still meets regularly in Autauga County.
Mr. Brock serves on the Alabama Leadership Council for the Alabama Opportunity Scholarship Fund, the Board of Directors at The Mercy House, and Prattville Y.M.C.A, the Alabama State University Continuing Education Policy Council, and he is currently a member of the Alabama Independent Schools Association State Board of Directors. He is also a proud graduate of Leadership Alabama Class XXIX.
The Montgomery Advertiser awarded Anthony the Martin Luther King Jr. Spirit Award for Central Alabama, the Montgomery Alumni Chapters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. have recognized him as the Citizen of the Year, the Beta Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. awarded him with the Community Hero Award and the Citizen of the Year Award, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated awarded him the Community Leader of the Year Award, and the First Congregational Church in Montgomery recognized him and his brother with the “Rosa Parks Day Dismantling Racism Award.” He was selected as the Entrepreneur of the Year at the Alabama Black Achievers Gala sponsored by Regions Bank in Birmingham. The Alabama Power Company also selected Anthony as an Alabama Bright Light, and he was recognized as a member of Alabama State University’s “50 under 50” Inaugural Alumni Class. Mr. Brock recently received the Montgomery Chapter of Jack and Jill of America Living Legend Award for Black History Month. Forbes Magazine and the Yass Foundation recently identified Valiant Cross Academy as the recipient of the prestigious Million Dollar Yass Prize. The Yass Prize is known as the, “Pulitzer of Education.”
He is the Co-Founder with his brother Fred and Head of School at Valiant Cross Academy. Since opening in 2015, Valiant Cross Academy has been showcased in local print publications, WSFA “Making a Difference” report, WAKA’s “What Right With Our Schools” report, recognized by the USA Today as “A Community That Thrives Program,” and Valiant Cross received the 2017 Community Service Award from Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. Valiant Cross was also recently selected as one of the State of Alabama’s Bicentennial School’s. He is also the co-author of the book “Fruit” and the Executive Producer of the PBS documentary “Fruit,” which details his career as an educator and mentor. Mr. Brock and his scholars from VCA recently were featured in Bryan Stevenson’s HBO Documentary True Justice, and CNN News has done a feature on the school.
He is an active member of St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Montgomery, serving as a Steward, Men’s Usher, Men’s Chorus, and Youth Church Leader. He is a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. He is married to D’Tanja Brock, and they have two beautiful daughters, Noah and Jonah.
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Huntingdon College, in accordance with Title IX and Section 106.8 of the 2020 Final Rule under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, other applicable federal and state law, and stated College policy, prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. Similarly, it prohibits discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age and/or national origin in its education program
