A Roaring 20’s wedding dress and a Freedman’s Bureau

banking certificate were among the over one hundred family artifacts, documents, and photographs, displayed at the Smithsonian Institute Anacostia Museum and Center of African American Culture, during a presentation called Pearls of Wisdom From Past Generations.

The multi-dimensional presentation discussed preserving the legacy of wisdom of the ages in African American families, a slide presentation, the history of pearls, a rousing vocal selection by soprano Pamela Simonson, and excerpts from the best seller. Kinloch family folklore tying the ladies roots to an Angolan Princess from the 1700's with court documents from Charleston, South Carolina, were also elaborated on during the workshop.

Simonson co-authored the bestselling collection Pearls of Wisdom from Three Generations with her grandmother, Celia Ford and mother Theresa Allen, who also facilitated the workshop. The women wrote the collection, , of inspirational sayings, expressions, and prayers, published by Thelemaque Publishing, when they were 75, 50, and 25 years old, exactly twenty-five years apart.