News | April 12th, 2018
Traveling Exhibit finds home at FAMU
By: Jennifer Osias
A collaboration of love and art that began at Florida A&M University has now turned into an
internationally recognized art exhibit presented by the Kinsey Collection.
After traveling on a National tour for 10 years this new exhibit “Flourishing Roots of Our Past”
has a new home at The Meek-Eaton Southern Regional Black Archives Research Center and
Museum, also known as the “Black Archives” at FAMU.
“The Flourishing Roots of Our Past” from the Kinsey Collection has been exhibited in over 25
cities in well-known museum like the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in
Cincinnati, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington D.C, and The
DuSable Museum in Chicago. This exhibit made it international debut in Hong Kong at the
University of Hong Kong, that is just to name a few.
Besides being displayed in notable museum and having international recognition, this collection
has been a recipient of three national awards like the President National Award for Museum and
Library service.
The founders of The Kinsey collection consist of the married collectors of the one of the largest
private collections of memorabilia, Bernard and Shirley Kinsey both alums at FAMU.
The Kinsey have donated to the archives for over 10 years.
“The Kinsey always wanted a home for the exhibit to be at FAMU.,” said Dr. Nashid Mayun the
Director of the Black Archives.
The Kinsey also donated the collection “African-American Treasures from the Kinsey Collection
presented by Toyota” that was previously exhibited at the Foster-Tanner Art Gallery.
“We are ecstatic to be the permanent housing of the Kinsey Collection here at FAMU, as well as
the artifacts that will continuously add to the augment of this collection.” said Tatjana
Lightbourn the Black Archives, Gallery Coordinator.
“This is a great opportunity for our local community, this collection will traffic to the Black
Archives” Lightbourn continued.
The exhibit displays a glimpse of the rise and triumphs of African Americans strength of society
in art, science, invention, innovation, legislation, and philosophy. With artifacts dating back to
1595.
“The exhibit allows us to fill in the gap in African American History culture, it is a great
attraction to bring people from the general public and region to FAMU campus.” Dr. Nashid
Mayun the Director of the Black Archives.
“This collection is a great addition to the archives.” Mayun continued. “The exhibit is rich in
artifacts we were able to build on different parts of the African American story.”
The exhibit displays a timeline and artifacts of the from different leaders in African American
history from Brooker T. Washington and W.E.B DuBois debates to the poets of Phillis Wheatley.
“This exhibit gives a new look to the Archive, its different from the other gallery that are display
here.” Kayla Thompson Gift shop associate the Black Archives.
“The goal of the exhibit is to become an open forum to engages visitors with the exhibits, to start
talking about issues that often not talked about,” Tatjana said.
“We included questions to also engages visitors on social media by hash tagging their answer to
begin conversion in the community about the African American life.” Lightbourn added.
The hashtags for the exhibit are #FlourishingRoots, #KinseyatFAMU and
# BlackArchivesFAMU.
The Black Archives is free to the public Monday- Friday 10 am -5 pm and Saturday 12 pm – 4
pm for more information please contact at (850) 599-3020 or visit www.meek-eaton-black-
archives-museum.business.site/
