I am a retired college professor who taught for 30yrs. My academic areas of focus were American Cultural History (19th & 20th C) and Black History/Cultural Expression/Visual Art. After retiring, I went back to school for a second master’s degree in Visual Studies.

Over the course of my academic studies and teaching career, I have amassed a sizable collection of books focused on the Black experience in America. I have been collecting since the mid-1980s. I have no exact number, but I would guess the size to be between 2000 to 3000 books.

I am working to create a catalog of my collection in preparation for a donation to the Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives.