Dominion Energy pledges $2.5 million to International African American Museum
June 26, 2019
Dominion Energy has pledged $2.5 million to support the International African American Museum’s (IAAM) design and construction. As one of the largest single donations to a nonprofit cause in the company’s history, it reflects Dominion Energy’s commitment to the people of South Carolina.
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.”
Dominion Energy’s leadership investment will be recognized in the South Carolina: Power of Place gallery. The exhibit will feature a Heritage Map, which is an interactive multimedia table featuring a large-scale map of South Carolina. Visitors can use the touchscreen installation to engage with the state’s history through highlighted people, events, sites, themes and landscapes.
Rodney Blevins, president and CEO of Dominion Energy’s Cayce-based Southeast Energy Group, said, “Education is one of Dominion Energy’s core focus areas, and we are excited that the International African American Museum will provide invaluable learning opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. We are pleased to support this uniquely rich learning and cultural environment that features technology-driven, engaging experiences that can be enjoyed by many here locally as well as visitors from across the country and around the world.”
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.
About Dominion EnergyNearly 7.5 million customers in 18 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va.
