The Barnes Foundation .........

January 26, 2013 [Saturday]


AN OPEN LETTER:

TO: The Barnes Foundation,

Chair, Doctor Bernard C. Watson

2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19130

Phone 215-278-2700

info@barnesfoundation.org

And TO: Avenging the Ancestors Coalition,

Care Of, Attorney Michael Coard,

Founder

The Law Office of Michel Coard

One Liberty Place

1650 Market Street, Suite 3652

Philadelphia, Pa 19103

1.215.552.87.51

ATAC@Avengingtheancestors.com

From: Brother Tracy Gibson,

Founder, President and CEO OF:

Brother Tracy Gibson and Associates, Inc.

AND: The Black Millionaire’s Network

213 South 49th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19139-4205

1.215.471.64.94

BrotherTracy11@Gmail.Com

Dear Attorney Michael Coard and Doctor Bernard C. Watson:

We are a developing Public Relations / Education / and Black Advocacy Organization in the Philadelphia area. We like to see Peace and Harmony, especially in situations or instances that have been Historically the center of conflict and bad feelings. I often go by the Barnes Foundation on my Way to the Central Library in Center City Philadelphia. I don’t know all the History of the Barnes Collection, but I do know that many Black Philadelphia's of Merit have a bad taste in their mouth when it comes to the History of the collection and I also know that many Black people of merit [both of low income and / or of extraordinary income] don’t feel they can comfortably visit the collection without feeling that somehow they have betrayed a sacred Trust among Black people and / or betrayed an invisible political bond that may not seem real to outsiders, but that is quite real within Our Black Community.

I would like to use some of the extremely limited resources of my companies to bring some healing and understanding into the for on the matter of the Barnes Foundation and how they are situated right in our backyard in Philadelphia and how they can do so with more support and less animosity among the general Black population. First of all, I don’t think many Black people or Whites for that matter either, have a clear understanding of exactly who Doctor Albert C. Barnes was and How the collection came about, let alone who it was left to or how it got into the present hands it is in. Perhaps this needs to be made clear to the present day population of Philadelphia for starters. Then we can go about the business of finding Ways for the collection to be more readily accepted and embraced by ALL communities in Philadelphia, including the Black community. My understanding is that right now, such positive feelings DON’T exist from the Black community, generally speaking, towards The Barnes Foundation.

I was just looking at the Barnes Foundation Collection on the official Web Page today and I found much of what is exhibited there to be exquisite. As a lover of art, the art world and Black and or African and African American Art in particular, I think such an exhibit should be embraced by ALL Philadelphia's and in a broad and robust Way. What I would like to do is bring Attorney Michael Coard and Doctor Bernard C. Watson together to talk, just for starters, [if at all possible I would like to be in attendance] and see what can be agreed upon and how we can move in a positive direction from there.

Before such a meeting, I would like to volunteer to have a personal meeting with Doctor Bernard C. Watson and Attorney Michael Coard separately at different times. I think such a meeting would help me get a feeling for how far things are apart and how to precede in the most expeditious and positive a fashion as possible. I have made this an open letter and put it on my personal BLOG. This is NOT done to embarrass anyone or seek undue publicity [according to Google, hardly anyone reads my BLOG anyway] and I might send out 30 letters a week, but if I get answers back from 10 I will be lucky. If either Doctor Bernard C. Watson or Attorney Michael Coard have a problem or issue with this Open letter being on the BLOG please call me and I will see about taking it down. Causing a problem BEFORE we even start this healing process is not going to do this situation any good at all.

I thank you for your Heart-Felt Consideration and your help. I look forward to hearing from you both very soon

With Peace, LOVE and Many Blessings,

I Am,



Brother Tracy Gibson,

Businessman – Fund Raiser – and Visionary…

Post Script: I will carry out my duties here on a voluntary basis right now, so as not to have any undue financial influence from either party. It would be nice to have some income for my work to help defray costs, but perhaps that will be worked out in the future from some independent, non-affiliated sources in the near future.

Post Post Script: Anyone interested can log onto the blog where this letter is featured by clicking here: http://thepoliticsofreal.blogspot.com