Amazon announced it donated $1 million to the National Museum of African American Music to sponsor several initiatives at the museum, including “A Soundtrack for All: Amazon STEAM Days,” which will support local schools’ field trips to the museum.
According to the announcement, the company’s investment in and partnership with the museum aims to foster a collaborative and creative musical learning environment through a co-written curriculum and other initiatives that involve Nashville residents.
“We are excited and grateful that Amazon has embraced the Nashville community and is committed to expanding opportunities and access for our students,” said Dr. Adrienne Battle, director of Metro Nashville Public Schools. “Understanding and experiencing the deep cultural impact of African Americans on all genres of music through NMAAM will be sure to enrich the educations and lives of our students.”
Amazon will also sponsor “The Best of Theater” within the museum. The donation announcement follows news that the museum will officially have its ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 18, which Amazon will be a part of, with galleries opening to the public later in the month.
“Amazon’s gracious contribution to the museum is an investment not only in our mission, but also in the Greater Nashville music community,” said H. Beecher Hicks III, president and CEO of NMAAM. “The museum tells a story that is meant to be experienced, not just learned, and it is through partnerships like these that we are able to provide that to our patrons.”
The National Museum of African American Music says it will be the only museum dedicated solely to educating, preserving and celebrating the influence Black Americans have had on music.
“There is a rich tapestry of stories to be told within the walls of NMAAM, and the museum does an extraordinary job of making them vibrant and accessible,” said Courtney Ross, Amazon’s senior manager of External Affairs in Nashville. “We are excited to play a part in bringing them to life and contributing to the music education of the Nashville community.”