William Henry Dorsey was not only an artist but a collector. That’s not unusual. What is unusual is that he was both at a time when Black folks were struggling to survive the dehumanization of…
Tag: African American history
Family artifacts that may be worthy of history & cash
Posted in Black history, civil rights movement, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, and Photos
few years ago, I bumped into an African American woman who told me that her aunt was a member of the Women’s Army Corp during World War II. I knew that there were not many…
How to get more African American artists on Wikipedia
Posted in Art, Black history, and history
Friday at Auction Finds is readers’ questions day. I try to guide readers to resources to help them determine the value of their items. I’m not able to appraise their treasures, but I can do…
Treasures in your home
Posted in Black history, collectibles, Culture, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, Family, and Photos
Next weekend, I will be joining another history buff in a presentation on historical treasures to look for in your home. It’s part of the 2012 Black History & Culture Showcase that has been held in…
Book with photos of Booker T. Washington’s legacy
Posted in Black history, and Books
The book was half-buried under others in a box at the auction house. I had almost missed it, with its black and faded gold lettering against a very dark background – a senseless combination it…
1942 program with Noble Sissle & Gypsy Rose Lee
Posted in Black history, and Music
I wandered into a room at the auction house a week ago where guns were being sold. I had zero interest in any of the guns but was more curious about who would turn up. …
A taste of black history
Posted in Art, Black history, and Photos
One of the truly satisfying results of my auction finds are the pieces of African American history that I come across on the auction tables. From photographs to vintage records to books to artwork, each…
Lawn jockey, Underground Railroad and a collection
Posted in Books, collectibles, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, history, and Photos
I met the historian and bibliophile Charles Blockson some years after I arrived in Philadelphia. I had gone to his enclave at Temple University, a small space that housed the thousands of books, manuscripts and artifacts…