Atlantans inspired by Kinsey Collection exhibit; VIP reception hosted by Wells Fargo

Sheffield Hale, Andrew Young, Shirley and Bernard Kinsey, Lisa Frison and Khalil Kinsey
Sheffield Hale, Andrew Young, Shirley and Bernard Kinsey, Lisa Frison and Khalil Kinsey

Ambassador Andrew Young joins Bernard and Shirley Kinsey at the Kinsey Collection VIP Reception

Wells Fargo has extended the African American History Tour by bringing The Kinsey Collection: Shared Treasures of Bernard and Shirley Kinsey, Where Art and History Intersect Exhibition to the Atlanta History Center and later on this year to Houston.


“It gives our ancestors a voice, personality and a name. Both painful and wonderful, it tells our story of accomplishment and achievement,” Bernard Kinsey says of his family’s collection of treasures that chronicles more than four hundred years of the contributions made by African Americans in American history. Kinsey is an avid collector, philanthropist, and educator, who began this collection over 35 years ago with his wife, Shirley, and son, Khalil. He was inspired to begin his collection after viewing an original bill of sale of William Johnson sold for $550 in 1832. The collection includes more than 130 artifacts and works of art demonstrating the artistic, historic, and cultural contributions and progress of African Americans. The exhibition features documents, artifacts, and photographs dating from 1600 to the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Jim Crow years, and the Civil Rights Movement.


“Wells Fargo is excited to extend our national tour in collaboration with the Kinsey family. We are committed to sharing the stories of African Americans to recognize the heroes, and their collective experiences, which have helped define the American story,” says Lisa Frison, Wells Fargo, vice president, African American segment manager.

Two of the many special treats from this collection are the never-before displayed first edition of Solomon Northrup’s 12 Years a Slavethe basis of the Academy Award-winning film; W.E.B Dubois 1st edition copy of his ground breaking book Souls of Black Folks; and the earliest known African-American marriage record dating back to 1598.


At the Atlanta opening held on Thursday, April 3, 2014 at the Atlanta History Center, there were more than 400 special-invited guests including Ambassador Andrew Young, former Atlanta Mayor Bill and Sharon Campbell, producer and casting director Reuben Cannon, Andrea Young and Jerry Thomas, Atlanta History Center’s CEO Sheffield Hale and a host of Wells Fargo executives.

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