Mecklenburg County pledges $150,000 over next 10 years City of Charlotte will give $10,000 from current year budget
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 30, 2021 – Mecklenburg County and the City of Charlotte together have pledged $160,000 to support the Save Siloam School Project, The Charlotte Museum of History announced today.
Mecklenburg County has pledged $150,000 towards the project, giving $15,000 each year for the next 10 years as an arts and culture investment targeted to reduce racial disparities. The City of Charlotte will give $10,000 from its current fiscal year budget to support architectural services needed to move the Siloam School to its future location at The Charlotte Museum of History.
The new city and county funds are in addition to municipal funds provided to support the project in 2019 – $125,000 from the county and $50,000 from the city in fiscal year 2019.
“On behalf of the community-based Save Siloam School Project, I’m so pleased to receive this vote of confidence from the county and city for the work we are doing to preserve and share Charlotte’s full and complex history,” said Adria Focht, president and CEO of The Charlotte Museum of History. “That means lifting up stories that have often gone untold, including the story of the Siloam School – built and paid for by a rural African American community that was determined to provide a quality education for their children despite segregation. We at the museum look forward to continuing to broaden the lens of Charlotte’s history by shining a light on stories like that of the Siloam School.”
“The educational programming at the future, restored Siloam School will help create an awareness and shared understanding of Mecklenburg County’s past, including our history of school segregation and racial inequity,” said George Dunlap, chairman of the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners and representative for District 3, where the Siloam School is currently located. “When our community understands its history, we can have more productive civic conversations, and we can get that much closer to creating equity in our community.”
“It is important for our city to preserve tangible historical markers like the Siloam School,” said Mayor Vi Lyles. “These buildings are significant to Charlotte’s cultural heritage, providing the community with a sense of who we are and where we want to go, while also driving economic growth through tourism.”
About the Save Siloam School Project
To date the Save Siloam School Project has raised $660,000 in cash, pledges and in-kind donations toward a $1 million fundraising goal needed to save the historic school. Once preserved, the Siloam School will become a permanent community resource devoted to history education and programming, including exhibits about racial justice and equity. It will be the only preserved Rosenwald school in Mecklenburg County devoted to history education and history programming.
How to support the Save Siloam School Project
People can support the Save Siloam School Project with a tax-deductible donation at charlottemuseum.org/siloam. See the latest news and find background about the Save Siloam School Project at charlottemuseum.org/siloam.
About The Charlotte Museum of History
The Charlotte Museum of History exists to save and share the Charlotte region’s history, helping create a better understanding of the past and inspiring dialogue about the future. The museum is the steward of the 1774 Hezekiah Alexander Rock House and homesite, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the oldest home in Mecklenburg County. Visit charlottemuseum.org and follow the museum on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The museum is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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