Contracts Have Been Signed For Museum

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) __ The first contracts for construction of a major African American history museum in South Carolina have been awarded.The Charleston City Council unanimously approved spending $60 million on the contracts for the museum being built on Charleston's waterfront on the site thousands of slaves first landed in the United States.The International African American Museum has raised more than $90 million from governments and private entities. It plans to open in 2021.The Post and Courier of Charleston reports some people unhappy with the museum's direction were at Tuesday's City Council meeting, but said just starting construction is a good first step.Also on Tuesday, council approved a new sister city partnership between Charleston and Freetown in Sierra Leone, the place where many African slaves left the continent.