South Carolina’s Dominion Energy has pledged $2.5 million to support the International African American Museum’s (IAAM) design and construction reports PR Newswire. It’s one of the largest single donations to a nonprofit cause in the company’s history.
In addition to the $2.5 million donation, Dominion Energy has pledged $25,000 to provide 1,000 charter memberships to the museum for individuals and families served by the Charleston Promise Neighborhood, which provides educational programming to underserved students. These charter memberships will ensure access to the museum for residents that have traditionally encountered barriers to educational opportunities.
“We are fortunate to have Dominion Energy as a leader here in Charleston and across South Carolina,” said Joseph P. Riley Jr., IAAM board member and former Charleston mayor. “Dominion Energy is holding true to its promise to expand meaningful corporate giving by providing substantial support to the museum and, in turn, broadening critical access to educational opportunities. Today, we thank Dominion Energy for helping to bring the longtime dream of the International African American Museum closer to reality.”
Rodney Blevins, president and CEO of Dominion Energy’s Cayce-based Southeast Energy Group, said, “We are excited that the International African American Museum will provide invaluable learning opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds.” Michael Boulware Moore, IAAM president and CEO, said Dominion Energy’s $2.5 million leadership investment will give museum visitors a chance to examine African American history and culture through the lens of South Carolina.
“The South Carolina: Power of Place gallery is a prime example of the way that we can make history more personal, relatable and accessible by using regional stories to represent national and international narratives,” Moore said. “South Carolina featured a Black population majority by the early 1700s, and the influence of African Americans and their ancestors remains ubiquitous and robust in the state. That is what makes South Carolina’s past so rich and representative of African American history.”
