Denzel Washington is donating $1 million to Wiley College in Texas to re-establish its debate team.

Wiley is the predominantly black college east of Dallas that's central to the upcoming movie, "The Great Debaters."

The film is about their powerful debate team in 1935. Washington, who stars as Wiley professor Melvin B. Tolson, also directed the film.

Washington had vowed to help the college and get the debate team going again.

"The Great Debaters" recently was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Drama.