IMMC Receives Kellogg Foundation Grant
JACKSON, Miss. – In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and its ensuing uncertainties, the International Museum of Muslim Cultures, located at 201 E. Pascagoula St., Jackson, MS 39201, announces its receipt of the Kellogg Foundations grant of $475,000 for the period Dec. 1, 2020 through Nov. 30, 2023.
Along with this recent award, over the last three years IMMC has received Grant Awards totaling $1,140,000 from Kellogg Foundation. This also includes $600,000 for the years of 2017-2020 and $65,000 in June for COVID-19 relief, which was unsolicited.
Currently, IMMC features the “Muslims with Christians and Jews: An Exhibition of Covenants and Coexistence,” which opened in June 2020, at 101 E. Capitol St., at IMMC’s satellite location in downtown Jackson. The Exhibit introduces the “peace-building leadership of Muhammad, the Prophet and Head of State, who prepared the first Constitution in history for his multi-ethnic, multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-religious Commonwealth.” This constitution, which may have influenced that of the U.S., is on display along with the covenants of protection extended to Jews, Christians, and others.
The IMMC continues to display the “Legacy of Timbuktu: Wonders of the Written Word” Exhibition, at 201 E. Pascagoula St., which emphasizes Islamic West Africa’s sophisticated, highly literate culture of great scholarship, wealth and empire-building, contrasting significantly with the predominant historic narrative that begins, most often, with African enslavement in America.
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) earlier grants have been used to utilize the power of the museum as a mobilizer for cross-racial healing, justice and human dignity, to educate the community nationwide in understanding that “human dignity is fundamental to combating injustice and achieving racial equity and healing.”
IMMC will be hosted by the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) in a virtual webinar Dec. 17, 2020, at 6 p.m. Central, that features “Exploring African Islamic Contributions to Civilization. The webinar coincides with the museum’s national tour of its two signature exhibits. For more information, visit: https://bit.ly/2INExe1.
IMMC is America’s first Muslim museum dedicated to educating the American public about Islamic history and culture and the contributions of diverse Muslim communities to America and the world. The museum opened its doors in December 2000 and will celebrate its 20th Anniversary virtually on Dec. 30, 2020, at 6 p.m. Central. For more information, visit www.muslimmuseum.org. Co-founders are Emad Al-Turk, chairman, and Okolo Rashid, president and director of the Islamic Thought Institute (ITI). For more information, email okolo.rashid@muslimmuseum.org or Lina Ali, Deputy Executive Director lina.ali@muslimmuseum.org; call 601-960-0440 or 601-918-8503 (cell). Follow on social media: Facebook.com/muslimmuseum/ Instagram @muslimmuseum_jxn
About the W.K. Kellogg Foundation
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal pioneer, Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life. The Kellogg Foundation is based in Battle Creek, Michigan, and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is paid to priority places where there are high concentrations of poverty and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF priority places in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico and New Orleans; and internationally, are in Mexico and Haiti. For more information, visit www.wkkf.org.