The Museum is grateful for donations of items for its permanent collection. A selection of recent accessions includes:

  • A collection of trading cards representing inventors George Washington Carver, Elijah J. McCoy, and James West, published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
  • A DVD film, “People Past & Present: Hillsdale, AKA Barry Farms,” by Tendani Mpulubusi El (2010).
  • Books on Black entrepreneurs, donated by Mr. Robert Williams.
  • A video of the MBIE reception, 16 March 2013, by C.J. Taylor (see citvisual.com).
  • Ethnographic videos of how local innovators understand intellectual property, sponsored by the Institute for Intellectual Property and Social Justice (see IP Videos).

To donate items to the Museum, please contact John Whitman, Executive Director, whitman at mbiedc.org.

FROM OUR DONORS:

Being a proud native of Washington, DC, I am even more proud to have been one of four children of James and Mary Williams, who were from Greenwood, SC.  My father became a self-employed brick-layer and my mother was primarily a house-wife. All of my education has been attained in Washington, DC. After graduating from Theodore Roosevelt High School, I went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts, in Spanish at Howard University. I finished my formal education at The Catholic University of America with a Master of Science in Library Science.
My entire professional career was spent at the Library of Congress. I retired from the agency as a cataloger after devoting more than 43 years there. During those years, of the thousands of books that I cataloged, many were biographical about innovators and entrepreneurs.
These experiences ironically became a perfect match for when I personally met and was taught by many very successful entrepreneurs. As a federal retiree I continue to manage my Amway business as an Independent Business Owner.
With pride I donate these two books: It is fun making money, by G.W. King, Jr. (Xulon Press, 2012) and Momma married a man, by Ruth Halsey (Godzchild Publication, 2011). Each autobiography on success and business is by and about two of the most successful African-American couples to build the Amway business.
I feel that the books are a worthy addition to the growing collection of the Museum for Black Innovation and Entrepreneurship. I believe that the following principles in each book are a perfect match for some visions that the Museum has: (1) being a catalyst for creating a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the community; (2) creativity is also an instrument to allow individuals and groups to take ownership of their own  creations, and thereby to build wealth beyond income.
Robert L. Williams