MOORESVILLE, N.C., Sept. 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) today announced a $1 million donation to the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. The gift will support the museum's future and help bring thought-provoking exhibitions, artifacts, and education and public programs on the African American experience and its impact on the nation and the world to visitors. The museum will be dedicated Sept. 24, 2016, by President Barack Obama.

The nearly 400,000-square-foot museum, which sits on a five-acre site adjacent to the Washington Monument, will be a place where Americans can learn about the richness and diversity of the African American experience. Since its start in 2003, the museum has built a collection of nearly 30,000 objects covering major periods of African American history, beginning with the origins in Africa and continuing through slavery, the civil rights era, the Harlem Renaissance, the great migrations north and west and into the 21st century.

"Lowe's is proud to support the National Museum of African American History and Culture in honoring the rich experience and contributions of the African American community, and how it has shaped our national identity," said Robert Niblock, Lowe's chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Our support connects to a broader commitment to be even more thoughtful and intentional about embracing diversity as part of our everyday business."

Lowe's continues to expand its diversity and inclusion outreach by engaging in hundreds of related events and initiatives annually. With focused efforts on increasing diverse talent, supporting diverse suppliers and empowering diverse students, Lowe's partners with organizations including, the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA), National Association of Black Accountants (NABA),Women of Color STEM, National Minority Supplier Development Council, Urban League and UNCF (United Negro College Fund), to empower the African American community.  

For more information about Lowe's commitment to diversity and philanthropy, visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility.

About the Museum
The National Museum of African American History and Culture was established by an Act of Congress through legislation signed into law in 2003 by President George W. Bush. The museum has been built on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on a five-acre tract adjacent to the Washington Monument. The 19^th museum in the Smithsonian family, it is the nation's largest and most comprehensive cultural institution devoted exclusively to exploring and documenting the African American story and its impact on American history. For more information, visit the museum's website at nmaahc.si.edu.

About Lowe's in the Community
Lowe's, a FORTUNE^® 50 home improvement company, has a 50-year legacy of supporting the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. Since 2007, Lowe's and the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation together have contributed more than $250 million to these efforts, and for more than two decades Lowe's Heroes employee volunteers have donated their time to make our communities better places to live. To learn more, visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility and LowesInTheCommunity.tumblr.com.

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SOURCE Lowe's Companies, Inc.

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