CHARLESTON, S.C. — The International African American Museum (IAAM) announced Wednesday a $1 million gift from Johnson Controls, a Milwaukee-based company that specializes in HVAC solutions.
The donation comes ahead of the museum’s anticipated groundbreaking in downtown Charleston later this year.
“Receiving this level of support from Johnson Controls, a global company based more than 1,000 miles away from Charleston, speaks to the national and international nature of this institution,” said Joseph P. Riley, Jr.,former Charleston mayor and an IAAM board member.
Johnson Controls provides service to some of South Carolina’s best-known institutions, including the University of South Carolina, Clemson University and the Medical University of South Carolina.
According to the museum, Johnson Controls’ investment will be recognized in the IAAM’s Center for Family History, a leading genealogy archive that will leverage databases and DNA testing to help individuals identify their ancestors, countries of origin and even living relatives.