Renowned Art Collector, Alabama Native Addresses UA Summer Commencement

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Speaking at The University of Alabama summer commencement exercises today, renowned art collector and Alabama native Paul R. Jones noted the changes in American culture over the past 25 years and how those changes have impacted Americans.

“Some 20 years ago, we could not imagine a mother having to drink from her baby’s bottle to prove to airport security that its contents were in fact milk. Nor could we imagine high school students in peaceful bedroom communities across the nation being murdered by fellow students; or the New York skyline without the Twin Towers,” said Jones, a Bessemer native who has amassed one of the world’s largest private collections of African-American art.

“We not only live in different times, but we are different in these times,” said Jones, who also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters during the ceremony. “And the role you graduates will play in the world will be different after today,” he added.

“But when knowledge and service are joined together with understanding, then great things can happen for you,” said Jones.

Jones’ art collection of more than 1,500 pieces includes sculptures, paintings and photographs by African-American artists such as Charles White, Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, Selma Burke, David Driskell and Herman “Kofi” Bailey.

He has received numerous awards including being recognized by Art and Antiques magazine as one of the top 100 collectors in the United States, the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change Outstanding Community Service Award, three Meritorious Awards from the Southern Conference of Black Mayors, the James VanDerZee Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts, and an honorary degree from the University of Delaware.

Saturday’s ceremonies, which included about 1,100 degree candidates, were broadcast live over the Internet. The web cast will be archived on UA’s Web site, http://www.ua.edu, and will be available for viewing until Sept. 1.