Join us for a discussion with Paxton K. Baker and Charles L. Blockson focusing on their work collecting rare and unique items related to African American history and culture. They will address what it takes to be successful, as well as why collecting is important and rewarding, as well as a good investment.

About the Speakers

Paxton K. Baker is an American businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, who has served in the entertainment, music, sports, and production industries for over 30 years. Mr. Baker is a minority owner of the Washington Nationals Baseball club and currently serves as chairman of the Washington Nationals Founding Partners Group. In 2015, Baker became a partner in the ownership group of the Washington Kastles World Team Tennis League. He is also a governing board member of the Global Sports Summit.

Charles L. Blockson is an author, bibliophile, historian, lecturer, scholar, essayist, and activist. Mr. Blockson is the founder and curator of the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, Temple University Libraries, which contains rare texts, slave narratives, art, and a host of other artifacts significant in African-American history and culture. Blockson has amassed one of our nation’s largest collections pertaining to Africa and its diaspora. He is the author of numerous books and essays, including The Underground Railroad, Liberty Bell Era: The African-American Story, The President’s House Revisited Behind the Scenes: The Samuel Fraunces Story, and the 1984 feature cover story in the National Geographic on the Underground Railroad.

This program is part of the Libraries' Beyond the Page public programming series.