International African American Museum in South Carolina to furlough all its staff | South Carolina
The International African American Museum (IAAM) in Charleston, South Carolina, announced Wednesday that its entire staff will be furloughed starting in July and until December 31. The 20-day leave will span months and affect staff at all levels, including museum management. Museum officials said the museum will remain fully operational.
The IAAM said in a statement that the decision came at a time when the museum was facing “financial pressure”.
“We are facing a shift in the political and financial environment that makes financial operations uniquely more challenging for our organization. This action is being taken to reduce expenses and avoid layoffs while refocusing sustainable revenue growth and fundraising efforts,” the statement said.
“We know this has a real impact on our employees and their families. Keeping this team together and supporting them through difficult times is why we chose this path over deeper cuts.”
IAAM opened in Charleston on June 27, 2023, after two decades of planning. The museum is located on the Gadsden Pier along the Cooper River, where approximately 40% of the Africans traded in the Middle Passage and enslaved in the United States first set foot in the country.
Earlier this year, the museum surpassed half a million visitors since its opening almost three years ago.
