As Charleston’s new International African American Museum draws ever closer to opening day the magnificent facility on what was Gadsden’s Wharf is drawing national attention….most recently on NBC’s Today Show. Gadsden’s Wharf was the disembarkation point of up to 40% of all American enslaved persons!
Genealogy and tracing one’s family’s past is a focus of the IAAM and TODAY’s Craig Melvin got an exclusive first look and shares what he found out about his own family. To watch the video CLICK HERE.
Other national coverage includes In Charleston, a Museum Honors a Journey of Grief and Grace New York Times, June 23, 2023 and The new museum at America’s largest slave port site also taps into a deeply rooted joy, CNN, June 19, 2022
There are events all weekend leading up to the museum opening its doors to the public Tuesday, June 27! And local media will be doing extensive coverage. The official members only opening event is Saturday, June 24. That event was simulcast to the public gathered at Marion Square. Here’s the Charleston City Paper’s coverage of that…https://charlestoncitypaper.com/2023/06/24/iaam-opens-in-charleston/
Here’s a link to IAAM events…. https://iaamuseum.org/events/
IAAM President and CEO Tonya Mathews gave DIHS members a behind the scenes preview in February 2022. For our blog report…which includes Dr. Mathews slide presentation CLICK HERE. And several months later, in July 2022, DIHS Board Member (and Charter member of IAAM) Kim Sermerschiem arranged an on site tour of the not yet open museum’s exterior grounds. https://dihistoricalsociety.com/blog/dihs-members-get-behind-the-scenes-tour-of-iaam-grounds/nggallery/image/tour17/