With education as a goal, The Kinsey African American Art and History Collection has been on national tour since 2007, and has been seen by over 5 million visitors in 21 cities. The Kinsey Collection is unique in that it is where art and history intersect, telling the African American story of achievement and contribution through primary source historical objects starting from 1595, as well as 2 and 3 dimensional artworks from the 19th, 20th, and 21st century. The exhibit includes historical documents and artifacts from Frederick Douglass, Phillis Wheatley, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Alain Locke, Malcolm X, and many more; as well as works of art by important African American artist such as Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Norman Lewis, and Artis Lane, to name a few.
The Kinsey Collection has shown at notable institutions such as the California African American Museum, the DuSable Museum of African American History, The Norton Museum of Art, the Harvey B. Gantt Center, the Atlanta History Center and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Currently, a potion of the collection is on display at Epcot, Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida until 2018, where it is expected to be seen by 15-20 million visitors. The collection has been cited in 3 national awards, including the President's National Award for Museum and Library Services.
"The real history of African Americans triumphs and contributions should no longer remain a secret. It should explode into our classrooms and into our collective conscience." -Bernard Kinsey
THE KINSEY COLLECTION was organized by The Bernard and Shirley Kinsey Foundation for the Arts and Education, a 501(c)(3), Tax Exempt organization.
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This exhibit was made possible by a grant from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council, funded by the Arkansas Real Estate Transfer Tax.