BP donates $1 million to the International African American Museum
July 16, 2019
BP announced a major financial commitment of $1 million to the International African American Museum (IAAM). The donation supports the museum construction along with programs and education.
BP has a significant presence in South Carolina. The BP Cooper River Plant built in 1978 is located in Berkeley County on land that once housed two plantations on the Cooper River. The remnants of bricks and kilns can be seen at one of the plantations where enslaved Africans were once used for labor. In 2017, the company completed the upgrade of its Berkeley County plant that will significantly reduce the site’s energy use and emissions.
“BP is humbled and honored to be part of such an important project not only for Charleston but also for the world,” said John Harvey, manager of BP’s Cooper River facility. “We hope this donation will help the museum grow to become a premier attraction, research center and lasting memorial for generations to come.”
“We are so grateful to John Harvey for his leadership in securing this generous donation,” said Joseph P. Riley, Jr., IAAM board member and former Charleston mayor. “This gift is a great testament to the importance of creating the International African American Museum not only for our country but for the world.”
Michael Boulware Moore, IAAM CEO and president, added, “The BP team wants to build a sustainable relationship with the museum that goes beyond this generous financial donation. We look forward to working together to find a variety of ways to connect and collaborate.”
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 BP
BP is a global producer of oil and gas with operations in nearly 80 countries. BP has a larger economic footprint in the U.S. than in any other nation, and it has invested more than $115 billion here since 2005. BP employs about 14,000 people across the U.S. and supports more than 111,000 additional jobs through all its business activities. For more information on BP in America, visit www.bp.com/us.
