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The International African American Museum will be open to the public for Presidents’ Day on Monday, February 17, 2025.

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Feb 04, 2025

IAAM Welcomes Five Distinguished Leaders to Board of Directors 

  • IAAM in the Media

February 4, 2025 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEW BOARD MEMBERS 

Contact: Paul Holston, Marketing & Communications Manager at [email protected] or IAAM Marketing Division at [email protected]

IAAM Welcomes Five Distinguished Leaders to Board of Directors 

Charleston, S.C. – The International African American Museum (IAAM) is pleased to announce the appointment of five esteemed leaders to its Board of Directors, effective January 2025. These unique individuals bring an additional wealth of experience and expertise towards our mission, and their guidance will be invaluable as IAAM continues to tell the untold stories of the African American experience across generations. We extend our sincere gratitude to both our outgoing and current board members for their dedicated service and invaluable contributions to IAAM. 

The new board members are: 

  • Justice Donald Beatty: Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court. Chief Justice Beatty’s extensive legal experience and deep understanding of the justice system will provide invaluable insight. Chief Justice Beatty has reached the highest attainable position within the State of South Carolina’s Judicial Branch. In May 2016, Chief Justice Beatty was elected by the South Carolina General Assembly to become the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Carolina. He began serving as Chief Justice of South Carolina on January 1, 2017. Prior to his ascension to the position of Chief Justice of South Carolina, he was honored to be nominated for a federal judgeship by the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, but made the mindful decision to serve as South Carolina’s Chief Justice: A position that he viewed as more impactful for the citizens of South Carolina. 
  • Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms: Former 60th Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia. Mayor Bottoms’ leadership in public service and her commitment to community development will be a tremendous asset. A lifelong public servant, Mayor Bottoms is the only mayor in Atlanta’s history to have served in all three branches of government, serving as a judge and City Councilmember before being sworn in as Mayor. In 2002, Bottoms became a magistrate judge in Atlanta and in 2008 was elected a Fulton County Superior Court judge. She served Atlanta’s 11th district as a city councilwoman from 2010 until 2018. From 2015 to 2017, she was the executive director of Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority. After her term as mayor, Bottoms served as director of the Office of Public Engagement and a senior advisor to President Biden from 2022-2023. 
  • Mr. Dale Strange: Senior Vice President and President of Corporate Impact at Blackbaud. Mr. Strange’s expertise in corporate social responsibility and his understanding of the philanthropic landscape will be crucial. In this role, Mr. Strange leads Blackbaud’s corporate business by serving as the partner of choice for corporations committed to social impact. Mr. Strange is responsible for the overall growth and scale of the Corporate Impact business unit and its operational efficiency. Strange leads with an intentional focus on delivering exceptional customer outcomes and believes in the power of building inclusive teams. Mr. Strange has also served as an advisor for the American Alliance of Museums and is a member of the National Diversity Council. 
  • Mr. Jim O. Stuckey: Vice President and General Counsel at Dominion Energy. Mr. Stuckey’s legal acumen and his experience in the energy sector will be particularly relevant, as he is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the company’s law department. Mr. Stuckey’s prior experience also includes serving as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of a publicly traded South Carolina utility that merged with Dominion Energy, serving as the founding shareholder of the South Carolina office of a national labor and employment law firm, and serving as a partner in South Carolina’s largest law firm. 
  • Dr. Nika White: Award-winning management and leadership consultant, keynote speaker, and published author. Dr. White’s expertise is in leadership development and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Dr. White’s work has led to her designation by Forbes as a Top 10 D&I Trailblazer. Over her 20+ years of leadership, Dr. White has worked with hundreds of organizations and managed millions in business assets for clients. Her overall praxis and scholarship are in organizational development, specifically focusing on systematically operationalizing strategic and intentional efforts that foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. 

In a joint statement, IAAM’s CEO and President, Dr. Tonya M. Matthews, and Grady Crosby, IAAM Board Chair, stated that as the museum celebrated its first anniversary back in June 2024, leadership is filled with excitement and gratitude for the incredible milestones achieved in IAAM’s inaugural year. 

“The support and enthusiasm of our donors, members, and volunteers has been critical to IAAM’s ability to create transformational experiences through our mission to honor the untold stories of the African American journey at this most sacred site of Gadsden’s Wharf, and to share the profound impact of this history on the Lowcountry, on our nation, and on the world,” said 

Matthews and Crosby. “We are deeply thankful for your commitment to IAAM and look forward to the next steps in our journey together.” 

From IAAM’s grand opening on June 24, 2023, through June 30, 2024, at a glance: 

  • A total of 188,908 museum visitors have visited IAAM: The second largest encyclopedic African American history museum in the United States. 
  • Over 90 volunteers committed over 1,200 hours of service towards IAAM. 
  • Over 4,700 students have participated in the newly launched IAAM school tour program. 
  • In January 2024, IAAM launched the Center for Family History Reference Library and Research Area. 
  • Visitors have recorded 3,900 minutes of stories from community members in IAAM’s Center for Family History Booth. 
  • IAAM has gained a total of 50,000+ museum members through membership. 

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About the International African American Museum 

The International African American Museum (IAAM) explores the history, culture, and impact of the African American journey on Charleston, South Carolina, the nation, and the world, shining light and sharing stories of the diverse journeys, origin, and achievements of descendants of the African Diaspora. Located at the historically sacred site of Gadsden’s Wharf, IAAM honors the untold stories of the African American journey. Learn more at www.iaamuseum.org

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