$500,000 from Gilder Foundation propels International African American Museum toward goal

The Gilder Foundation, the charitable arm of Richard Gilder and his wife Lois Chiles, has generously pledged $500,000 to the International African American Museum’s (IAAM) Founders Fund. This leadership investment helps narrow the IAAM’s fundraising goal as it focuses on raising its private philanthropy funds.

“The Gilder name has become synonymous with world-class institutions,” said Joseph P. Riley, Jr., former Charleston Mayor and IAAM board member. “It is an honor to have this support.”

IAAM President and CEO Michael Boulware Moore added, “Mr. Gilder’s charitable investment in our museum and memorial moves us forward decisively as we work to complete our fundraising. He played a critical role in bringing the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History to life, an institution that the IAAM greatly respects given its groundbreaking work in the history of slavery and abolition. We look forward to collaborating with Mr. Gilder and his organization.”

The Gilder Foundation’s pledge will be recognized in a Center for Family History Support Room, which will be named the Gilder Foundation Study.

“Over the years, I have prioritized the support of historical institutions,” said Mr. Gilder. “Study of the past is crucial to understanding the present and creating a better future. The IAAM and its Center for Family History will provide critical insight into our country’s history and connect individuals to their pasts in meaningful ways.”

 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.