AN INVITATION TO HISTORY

I was out early one Saturday morning. It was a Saturday in May, and yard sales and garage sales began to materialize around each bend, as I drove through the streets of the town.



A SMALL PORTION OF THE DIANN KIRBY COLLECTION



Yard sales or garage sales, (which ever you prefer), are always a pleasant morning distraction. Its like each town becomes a geological Mall, where residences, (sometimes whole blocks) become little stores, where cash and carry is the popular sales technique, and where a great bargain could be found, or perhaps that "one of a kind" hidden treasure.

My second stop on that warm Saturday morning, was at Diann Kirby's home.  She and her friend Nell were having a yard sale and about 50 feet of folding tables lined the front yard, displaying their wares.

It became evident after just my first pass down the line of items, that the products for sale were not just your typical stored basement and attic items, but were actually some very fine art and collectibles.

A brief conversation with Nell and Diann revealed to me that these girls were very intelligent and quite knowledgable on the value of the items that they were selling that day.  Yet, it was only after having a private conversation with Diann Kirby, and a subsequent invitation into Diann's home that I discovered the extent of Diann Kirby's items. 

The conversation went a little something like this....
ME:(picking up a painting, out on the sidewalk), "Hmm, this would look good on my Wall Of Life".




DIANN: "Funny you should mention a Wall Of Life, because I have something similar".



A TESTAMENT TO THE DEDICATION AND PRESERVATION OF A PEOPLE'S HERITAGE



Now, the conversation may have been more detailed, YET that's the gist.  But that conversation led to Diann's invitation for me to view her Wall Of Life.

My Wall Of Life has, maybe, 10 items displaying various photos and events in my life. Very standard stuff. Yet,  during our conversation, there was no clue or hint from Diann on what I was about to lay my eyes upon.

Diann Kirby's Wall Of Life is not just about her life, but it is a wall of other's lives.  Let me correct that....it is not one wall of other's lives, but it is EVERY wall.  And let me correct that one more time....it is not just other's lives, but Diann Kirby's home is a monument to a people's history and heritage.

That Saturday, Diann Kirby unveiled for me, a 35 year culmination of one of the most extensive and valuable Black Art and Memorabilia Collections assembled on the East Coast.

Yet, I was soon to learn that what I thought was some of the most immense and beautiful collection of art and memoribilia ever assembled under one roof, was only a fraction of the items that an associate of Diann Kirbys had collected, and of whom I would soon meet.

The story will continue, but now it is an honor to present for your viewing pleasure, some of the most valuable Black American Charcoal Portraits ever assembled in one place.  Enjoy this trip back in time as these 80-100 year old one of a kind originals are displayed for the first time in public.

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NOT A CHARCOAL