Nhambu Collection
The Nhambu Collection at the Children’s Defense Fund / Haley Farm
The Nhambu Collection of pan-African art, artifacts, and textiles was donated to the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) in 2014. The collection, acquired over 40 years, reflects Nhambu’s passionate commitment to sharing her love and appreciation of the artistry, talent, and creative genius of Africa.
“I want the art I love to touch people,” says Nhambu. “It should be displayed so that people are drawn to it. The art should be in everyday living and working spaces and speak to those who see it. At Haley Farm and the CDF Headquarters in Washington DC, the art will engage viewers on their own terms rather than seeing it in a museum where they are often told how to interpret it!”
The collection, curated by the Rhode Island School of Design, complements the mission of CDF, the legacy of Alex Haley, and the vision of Maria Nhambu. The Nhambu Collection is exhibited throughout the Haley Farm property in Clinton, Tennessee and the CDF Headquarters in hopes that visitors have many opportunities to encounter the art and be inspired in their work for justice and education.
MAMA AFRICA
by James Bolton
Like a slowly ripening pumpkin,
Eager to feed
The ones who come after?
Is there ought else in periphery of that
Abramic stare?
Does her sidelong foresight's imperfect gaze
Take in the dream realized?
Nhambu’s Latest Book
In Drum Beats, Heart Beats the author takes us on a safari of her beloved country and we see its wonders through her eyes and her heart.
The first book of the trilogy, Africa’s Child, was released in 2016. The final book of her memoir series—Drum Beats, Heart Beats—reveals more of Nhambu’s life as she searches for her father and was released in 2018.
