This entrepreneur just pledged six figures to SC African-American Museum

A McDonald’s franchise owner from the Lowcountry has pledged to donate $500,000 to the proposed International African American Museum in Charleston.

Carolyn Hunter’s pledged donation is one of the largest from an individual to date, according to WCBD News 2. The donation moves the museum closer to its fundraising goal and could allow for construction to begin between spring and summer 2018.

“We are extraordinarily blessed to have the opportunity to build this museum where everyone can come to learn more of our rich history and many little-known African-American success stories,” said Hunter, The Post and Courier reported.

Hunter was born in Virginia. She started working at McDonald’s behind the grill and worked her way up to owning a franchise, the paper reported.

Former Charleston mayor and museum board member Joe Riley said Hunter has become one of the community’s great leaders, Live 5 News reported.

“She has made transformative investments in institutions like Trident Tech, where she established the Rachel Hunter Thompson Memorial Scholarship Fund in honor of her mother,” said Riley, according to the station. “She also gives back to Charleston by serving on the boards of Trident Technical College Foundation, Charleston Southern University Board of Visitors, Trident United Way, and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Charleston. It is an honor to be counted among the organizations that Carolyn supports.”

This story was originally published December 21, 2017 at 1:13 PM with the headline "This entrepreneur just pledged six figures to SC African-American Museum."