Contact: Allison Matthews

STARKVILLE, Miss.--Selections from a nationally prominent California-based collection of African American art and related historical documents begin their final week on exhibit at Mississippi State.

Over three decades, owners Bernard and Shirley Kinsey of Los Angeles have amassed one of the world's largest private collections of art, artifacts, documents and manuscripts that help illustrate a rich history and achievements of African Americans spanning more than 400 years.

"African American Treasures from The Kinsey Collection" has been featured since March at the university's Mitchell Memorial Library. The free exhibit runs until Saturday [June 20].

During a Thursday [the 11th] question-and-answer program, the couple, accompanied by son Khalil, shared their passion for having the American public gain a better appreciation for the distinguished heritage of African American accomplishments. Emphasizing how African American history is American history, they also seek to correct incomplete portrayals of the African American experience.

"We are trying to help shape a different narrative about the African American story, and you really can't do that unless you do it in the South," Bernard Kinsey said.

A retired Xerox Corp. vice president, he said the family long has operated on the philosophy that "To whom much is given, much is required," so sharing what they have with others never has been in question.

He also said they enjoy traveling to new places like Mississippi to let others benefit from insights offered by the collection. In return, the family has gained much from meeting new people at sponsoring venues that also have included the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and Disney World's Epcot Center.

Khalil Kinsey observed how overwhelmingly negative portrayals of African Americans seem to permeate modern society. He also explained how growing up the son of affluent, successful parents in California caused him to struggle to "find himself."

The younger Kinsey said he believes a better understanding of African American history will come as frank, transparent discussions between generations help today's youth identify with the legacies of African American achievements.

"My life changed completely when I embraced what you see here," Khalil Kinsey said. "When I started really opening my eyes to the information that is contained in this collection and so many other incredible stories of African American contribution, achievement and participation in this country that you're not taught in school, my world opened."

Shirley Kinsey reflected on how she and her husband first began acquiring pieces of value without any intentions of creating a formal collection. They are proud, however, of how it grew from organic and humble beginnings to a collection now viewed by millions, she added.

She said the collection's three-month visit at Mississippi State has been a wonderful event. "I just felt that anyone who came to see this had an open mind and an open heart and wanted to experience what this is about."

Earlier in the week, the Kinseys had the pleasure of giving a private tour to Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, who was among some 3,500 campus visitors to have viewed the exhibit since it opened in the library's John Grisham Room. Also, at Thursday's program, visitors included Derrick Johnson, president, Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP, and State Reps. Steve Holland of Plantersville and Tyrone Ellis of Starkville.

In addition to MSU Libraries and the university's African American Studies program, the exhibit is made possible by Visit Mississippi, Greater Starkville Development Partnership, Mississippi Humanities Council and National Endowment for the Humanities.

Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in the exhibit do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the Mississippi Humanities Council.

To learn more about The Kinsey Collection on campus, visit www.lib.msstate.edu/Kinsey.

MSU, the state's flagship research institution, is online at msstate.edu, meridian.msstate.edu, facebook.com/msstate, instagram.com/msstate, and twitter.com/msstate, using hashtag #WeRingTrue.