The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American History and Culture is $1 million closer to reaching its $540 million funding goal.
Alfred Street Baptist Church, a historic black church across the Potomac River in Alexandria, Va., has pledged $1 million to the project, making it the first faith-based organization to support the museum.
“As a church that has a 212-year history, we understand the value and importance of telling our own story … We thought it was the right thing to do to step up and make an investment of that level,” lead pastor Rev. Howard-John Wesley said Tuesday on WHUR-FM.
The church gives away $600,000 in scholarships and $1.5 million for service opportunities annually. Wesley said he hopes the congregation’s giving inspires others to pitch in support, even at much smaller levels.
Construction on the 400,000-square-foot museum began in February 2012 and is slated to be completed in the fall. It is the Smithsonian’s 19th museum and the first national space focused exclusively on African-American culture, art and history.
