Karen Chernick takes a closer look at the mother-daughter duo of Dr. Constance E. and Williabell Clayton, whose personal collection of art is on view in our exhibition, "Awakened in You".

The two Clayton women shared a home and an appetite for collecting. For almost 50 years, they purchased artwork by black artists, amassing a collection that spans the mid-19th century until today.

“[There’s] a real familial aspect to the collection, a generational aspect to the collection, a passing down of passion and respect for the Black voice,” said Brooke Anderson, director of the PAFA’s museum and co-curator of the exhibition. “This is something that brought them an enormous amount of joy.”