Boeing doubles giving to IAAM with additional $1MM investment

Charleston, S.C. – The International African American Museum (IAAM) has received an additional $1 million donation from The Boeing Company. This contribution will help thousands of underserved children experience the educational aspects of the museum during its opening year while also helping to support the organization’s broader mission and operations. This most recent gift brings Boeing’s total giving in support of the museum to $2 million. Boeing was the first corporate donor to the museum in 2011.

Boeing’s donation, in part, will make it possible for IAAM to work with partners to allow children and their families the chance to experience the museum free of cost. The museum seeks to honor the untold stories of the African American journey by educating visitors about the realities of the international slave trade and plantation life. The IAAM also explores the cultures and knowledge systems retained and adapted by Africans in the Americas that have been influential across South Carolina, the United States, and the African Diaspora.

“Our ability to ensure that every young person has unfettered access to the museum is one of our top priorities. I’m excited to continue our partnership with Boeing in such a meaningful way,” said Dr. Tonya M. Matthews, president and CEO of the International African American Museum. “With this support, we have the opportunity to meet one of our critical goals, reaching youth from all walks of life. We’re so grateful to our partners at Boeing for their generosity and continued support.”

This past April, representatives from Boeing — including Ziad Ojakli, executive vice president of Government Operations — had the opportunity to visit the future home of the IAAM. In addition to seeing the museum’s progress, the team gained a better understanding of the exhibitions and transformational storytelling that youth will experience. 

Following a recent visit to the IAAM site to learn more about the future of the museum, Ojakli said, “At Boeing, advancing racial equity is a key pillar of our community engagement work, and we believe in the International African American Museum’s mission to unlock and honor the untold stories of the African American journey and South Carolina’s history. We are proud to support the museum’s efforts to share those stories with thousands of students. As an active and engaged member of the South Carolina community, we are grateful to IAAM for their partnership, and we look forward to seeing these exhibits and experiences bring these important and impactful stories to life.”