Entrepreneur Carolyn Hunter Pledges $500,000 to IAAM

CHARLESTON, S.C. (December 21, 2017) – Carolyn Hunter’s $500,000 leadership investment in the International African American Museum (IAAM) is one of the largest pledges from an individual to date, moving the museum closer to reaching its fundraising goal and allowing it to break ground late spring or early summer 2018.

Hunter, who was born in Virginia, started her career at a McDonald’s grill after graduating from community college in 1977. Her unmatched work ethic, grit and long-term vision propelled her up the professional ladder. Years later, she relocated to South Carolina, where she purchased a store in Moncks Corner. From there, she ascended to a successful entrepreneur, who owns three franchises in Ladson, Moncks Corner and Summerville and serves as president of C&A Unlimited, Inc.

“Carolyn Hunter’s story is the definition of the American Dream,” said Michael Boulware Moore, president and CEO of the IAAM. “She embodies one of my favorite sayings, ‘I am my ancestor’s wildest dreams.’”

As part of its efforts to celebrate African American history, the IAAM will highlight leaders, visionaries and changemakers who left indelible marks on America’s history, traditions and culture. It will show children of color that there are countless heroes who look just like them.

“We are extraordinarily blessed to have the opportunity to build this museum where everyone can come to learn more of our rich history and many little-known African-American success stories,” said Carolyn Hunter.

“Carolyn has become one of our community’s great leaders,” said Joseph P. Riley, Jr., IAAM board member and former Charleston mayor. “She has made transformative investments in institutions like Trident Tech, where she established the Rachel Hunter Thompson Memorial Scholarship Fund in honor of her mother. She also gives back to Charleston by serving on the boards of Trident Technical College Foundation, Charleston Southern University Board of Visitors, Trident United Way, and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston. It is an honor to be counted among the organizations that Carolyn supports.”

About the IAAM:

Nearly half of all enslaved Africans forced to America through the Transatlantic Slave Trade arrived in Charleston, and the vast majority disembarked at Gadsden’s Wharf, the future home of the International African American Museum (IAAM) and one of the most significant and sacred sites of the African American experience in the Western hemisphere. The IAAM, a museum, memorial and site of conscience, will present unvarnished history and culture, commemorate and celebrate the foundational role that Africans and their descendants played in the making of America, and highlight their diasporic connections around the world. It will include immersive, interactive exhibits engaging to all ages and feature the Center for Family History, a leading genealogy archive that will help visitors identify their individual threads in the complex tapestry of history.