The James T. Parker Collection
Black Art Auction is proud to share the story of esteemed scholar and collector James T. Parker and his extraordinary collection of African American art.
Living quietly on Chicago’s South Side, Jim Parker spent decades thoughtfully building one of the most important private collections of works by Black artists. Although Jim passed away September 12, 2024 (ironically, on the birthday of his close friend, sculptor Richard Hunt), his legacy lives on through the art he so passionately preserved. Mention his name to collectors and museum professionals across the country, and the response is almost always the same: “Sure, I knew Jim!” Yet few truly understood the depth and significance of the collection he had assembled.
This summer, Black Art Auction will present a series of interviews and essays celebrating Jim Parker and the remarkable art he collected on its own dedicated web page. The project will culminate in a comprehensive book cataloging the collection and, in October 2025, a historic auction of the works he curated.
Stay tuned—much more to come soon!
