Pre-opening worship service held ahead of IAAM opening

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Excitement is building ahead of the International African American Museum’s opening in January.

“Long overdue, but yet, we just thank God we getting it done,” said George Brown, a Deacon at the Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church.

On Wednesday, Bishop Michael Curry lead a pre-opening worship service at Mount Moriah in North Charleston.

Curry is the 27^th Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church. He’s also the first African-American to serve in the role.

Bishop Curry took the world stage when he delivered a sermon at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in 2018.

He traveled to Charleston from North Carolina to celebrate the upcoming opening.

“It’s going to be, it already is, a place where we can tell the stories of our life together as a country, the story of slavery, the story of what happened, the good and the bad, and then from those stories to learn,” Bishop Curry said.

The night was filled with music, prayer, and a message of unity and hope from Bishop Curry.

“I am extremely happy, I’m extremely proud, I’m overwhelmed. This is a long overdue project that needs to be done here in Charleston and as an African-American, I look forward to the museum opening,” said Diane T. Abraham, a member of Mount Moriah.

IAAM will open on January 21, 2023.