Black philanthropy, and the new African-American museum in DC ....

[kwassa]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/african-american-museums-fundraising-touches-deep-history-among-donors/2016/05/23/bc2cbc94-1613-11e6-924d-838753295f9a_story.html

One fact in the middle of this article jumped out and surprised me.

African Americans represent 74 percent of the individuals who each gave $1 million or more, officials said, a figure almost double their early expectations. And African American organizations represent 28 percent of institutional support for the museum, including black sororities, fraternities and civic groups.

but the article is really about the vast response from African-Americans supporting this new museum. Here are some excerpts.

The museum has more than 100,000 donors who have contributed as little as $25 a year to become members — a surprisingly large number for an institution that has yet to open and the most of any Smithsonian museum. Bunch said the membership roster reflects the effort’s grass-roots support and its national reach. In addition, he said, the sheer number of annual contributions helped him make a case in Congress.

...........................................

The request highlights the bold thinking of the museum’s fundraisers, who tapped into Alfred Street’s tradition of service and its pride in its 200-year history in making their appeal. Such creativity has been a successful hallmark from the start. Private donors — including Shonda Rhimes, the TV producer behind “Scandal” who pledged $10 million — have contributed $245 million to the capital campaign. Combine that with $270 million from the federal government, and the museum is $25 million shy of its $540 million goal.

The museum has received donations for other purposes, too, including education and endowment. In all, private contributions total $265 million.

“This is a staggering amount of generosity,” said Emmett Carson, president and chief executive of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and an authority on African American giving. “It’s a symbol that black .?.?. philanthropy is not an oxymoron.”

[JustAnotherGen]

1. Of the people - and by the people

Cool!

[Number23]

2. Wow! This is amazing!

“Black stories matter (and) there’s a need for claiming and proclaiming our own history and heritage.”

HELL YES!!!

“It’s a symbol that black .?.?. philanthropy is not an oxymoron.”

Anybody that knows anything about black people knows that has never, EVER been true. We give til we are hurting ourselves, especially black women.