The Redd Family. From right: Marques Redd, Marjani Sams, Melgenia Redd, Marquita Sams, and Vernon Redd

In 1990, Melgenia and Vernon Redd opened a gallery called Miracles Fine Art, and it was the first institution of its kind in Macon, GA, that specialized in exhibiting the work of Black artists. Inspired by an activist passion forged in an era that saw the end of Jim Crow, they were determined to contribute to the preservation and celebration of Black art and culture. Over time, they built a collection of over 800 items, including paintings, sculptures, masks, mixed media works, and woven fabrics. In the late 90s, the gallery was closed due to flooding and health challenges. The entire collection was subsequently stored in closets and the garage at their family home.

In 2022, their children Marques Redd and Marquita Sams began to develop an infrastructure for digitizing, preserving and exhibiting the Redd Family Black Art Collection. To date, they have photographed the entire collection and are actively working to archive and build a permanent home for these works. In June 2022, they exhibited work from the collection for the first time in over 20 years during Art as Liberation in Pittsburgh, PA. In June 2023, they participated in the 31st Annual Juneteenth Freedom Festival in Macon, GA. In February 2024, they displayed their exhibition Pioneers of Purpose at Macon’s Douglass Theatre. The recovery work is ongoing.