Les Amis de Beauford Delaney - How It All Started

As Les Amis de Beauford Delaney is poised to oversee the installation of a second plaque to honor Beauford in Montparnasse and as we work with Columbia University to mount an exposition of Beauford's work at Reid Hall, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge how this entire, incredible journey toward preserving Beauford's legacy in Paris began.

As I wrote in the second post published on this blog, I discovered the situation regarding Beauford's gravesite while researching an article on African-American gravesites in and around Paris:

Buried at the Parisian municipal cemetery in Thiais, Delaney was laid to rest in what Americans would call a pauper’s grave. His tomb lies in Division 86, an unkempt area where numerous graves are unmarked. Delaney’s grave is recognizable only by a small ceramic flower arrangement.

That article was published in the "Paris Guide" section of the Soul of America Web site. Read it here: AFRICAN-AMERICAN GRAVESITES IN PARIS.

Below is a collage of the gravesites mentioned in the article.

African-American Gravesites in and around Paris
Images and collage © Discover Paris!
Not published in the Soul of America article was an image of Beauford's previously unmarked grave as seen in 2009.

Beauford's unmarked grave - Thiais Cemetery
© Discover Paris!
Work began on the installation of Beauford's tombstone in July 2010. It was completed in August 2010.

Beauford's tombstone - Thiais Cemetery
© Discover Paris!
This summer marks the 5th anniversary of the installation!