Mellon Foundation Awards $750,000 Grant to the International African American Museum, Solidifying its Role as a Global Diaspora Connector

March 4, 2025

PRESS RELEASE: Major Donor Recognition

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

Mellon Foundation Awards $750,000 Grant to the International African American Museum, Solidifying its Role as a Global Diaspora Connector

Charleston, S.C. – The International African American Museum (IAAM) has received a generous $750,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation, furthering the museum’s objective to become a leading international connector and crusader within the African American and Black Diaspora. This generous gift, the latest in a series of significant contributions, will support IAAM’s ambitious initiatives to link points of departure and arrival of the Transatlantic slave trade, beginning with a deepened partnership with Barbados.

This new grant brings the Mellon Foundation’s lifetime giving to IAAM to $2.9 million, underscoring their unwavering commitment to the museum and its shared mission. As a Founding Donor, the Mellon Foundation’s support has been instrumental in establishing IAAM as a vital cultural institution.

“Inherent in IAAM’s mission and clearly stated in its name is the responsibility to articulate the African American experience within the broader context of the African diaspora,” said Malika Pryor, IAAM’s Chief Learning and Engagement Officer. “Whether at Gadsden’s Wharf on the port of Charleston or in Bridgetown, Barbados: The cultural journey of captured African people did not begin on American shores.”

“With this incredibly generous support from the Mellon Foundation, IAAM can further trace the journey and continue to link the passages and pathways of people who are too often separated by time and languished relationality. This initiative will further reveal that we were always and have remained connected, that despite borders marked by land and sea, the people were and remain transcendent,” Malika said.

The $750,000 grant will fund key initiatives, including:

• Strengthening the IAAM-Barbados Partnership: IAAM will collaborate with the Government of Barbados to develop the cultural arts initiatives, create fellowship programs connecting HBCUs with international institutions, and launch cultural heritage tours exploring shared cultural expressions like culinary, dance, and music. This builds upon the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between IAAM and Barbados in October 2023.
• Acquiring Bunce Island Stones for the African Ancestors Memorial Garden: IAAM aims to acquire and preserve stones from Bunce Island, Sierra Leone, a significant departure point for African captive. This initiative will document the acquisition process, highlight the island’s historical significance, capture oral histories from local griots, and produce an educational film. This will help transform Charleston into a pilgrimage destination.
• Developing a Traveling International Festive Culture Exhibition:  The creation of a traveling International Festive Culture Exhibition, which will explore the vibrant and rich festive traditions that have been essential to African diasporic communities for centuries. The exhibition intends to shed light on the intricate and often neglected stories associated with these festive customs, providing a detailed and nuanced appreciation of their importance with a focus on Barbados, Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, the United Kingdom, and other sites of significance within the Festive Culture legacy.

IAAM is committed to connecting South Carolina, particularly the Lowcountry and Gullah Geechee culture, with Africa, West Africa, and the Transatlantic slave trade. This funding will position IAAM as a pivotal organization in facilitating critical dialogues, conducting in-depth research, and developing innovative programs and curricula.

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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 and follow IAAM on Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, and LinkedIn.