Blackbaud Celebrates the Opening of the International African American Museum in Charleston, SC

Blackbaud is proud to celebrate today’s monumental opening of the International African American Museum (IAAM) in Charleston, S.C. Built on the site of one of America’s most prolific international slave trading ports, the museum aims to re-center South Carolina’s place in global history and honor the largely overlooked history of the African American community. This is a meaningful moment—the culmination of a years-long endeavor to bring untold African American stories to light.  

In 2016, Blackbaud made its first-ever $1 million pledge to support the construction of the museum in Charleston, also home to our Blackbaud headquarters. The contribution will specifically support the IAAM Center for Family History, a volunteer-run digital research lab within the museum that allows in-person and virtual visitors to trace their family origins, research their ancestry, and record their own stories.  

We are humbled by the role our investment—and our solutions—will play in uplifting these important stories for years to come and are proud to share that the IAAM’s day-to-day operations will be powered by Blackbaud solutions like Blackbaud Altru® for fundraising and ticketing and Blackbaud Luminate® Online for marketing.  

“On behalf of the entire team at Blackbaud, I celebrate the monumental opening of the International African American Museum, a long-awaited catalyst for education, connection, and growth,” saidMike Gianoni, president and CEO of Blackbaud and IAAM board member.“As a global company with roots in Charleston, we’re inspired by and honored to support IAAM’s expansive vision—capturing the regional significance of its site while bringing to light far-reaching stories of African American culture.

Here are a few images of Blackbaud employees attending opening festivities in Charleston: