Charleston's African American Museum Furloughs All Staff to Weather Budget Crisis

The International African American Museum announced a 20-day furlough for all employees, staggered July 1–December 31, 2026, citing financial pressures. The three-year-old institution, which opened on Gadsden's Wharf where an estimated 40 percent of enslaved Africans entered the U.S., received a $10 million founding gift from JPMorgan Chase. The staggered structure preserves operational continuity and, notably, spares no staff tier—senior leadership shares the burden equally with front-line workers.