The characteristics, impact, and legacy of African-American charitable giving is an untold narrative in the story of American philanthropy. Black communities have significant giving power. Two-thirds of Black households give $11 billion charitable dollars. Despite Black households just having six percent of the wealth of white households, they give 25 percent more than their white counterparts. Traditional philanthropy does not account for the many informal giving pathways in which African-American communities participate, and tend to overlook people of color in traditional giving spaces.

The Soul of Philanthropy Cleveland (TSOPCLE) is a collaboration of civic and community leaders, volunteer activists and philanthropists in Greater Cleveland. They united to create a vehicle that will educate and inform audiences about the rich history of African-American charitable giving. Inspired by TSOP, the TSOPCLE Exhibition tells the stories of philanthropy and empower communities of color.