BLK MKT Vintage: Reclaiming Objects and Curiosities That Tell Black Stories

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged. This event takes place at the Auburn Avenue Research Library, 101 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30303. Doors open at 6pm. Event begins promptly at 6:30pm.

Charis and the Auburn Avenue Research Library welcome co-authors Jannah and Kiyanna Handy and author and archivist Renata Cherlise for a celebration of BLK MKT Vintage: Reclaiming Objects and Curiosities That Tell Black Stories.

Jannah and Kiyanna Handy have spent years scouring piles, stacks, bookshelves, and dilapidated boxes in search of themselves and their history, Black history. Through their Brooklyn brick-and-mortar BLK MKT Vintage and online shop, they have uncovered tens of thousands of items including vintage literature, vinyl records, clothing, art, decor, furniture and more.

Their new book, BLK MKT Vintage: Reclaiming Objects and Curiosities That Tell Black Stories invites readers into the Handy's work and partnership as they pick, collect, curate, design, and reimagine futures for the objects of the past. Brimming with more than 300 photographs of vintage pieces of ephemera, the book is a beautiful, ephemeral object itself calling to mind a scrapbook or family album that has a surprise on every page whether that’s 1972 celluloid pins from Shirley Chisholm’s presidential campaign, early 1800’s hand-drawn maps of the African continent, or 1920’s bound yearbooks from various HBCUs. The book also explores the various concepts that ground the Handy's work; interviews with Black archivists, artists, memory workers and collectors – including a foreword from Spike Lee; a look into their private collection of thousands of items they have discovered over the years; an explanation of the different players in the antiques and vintage world; and tips and tricks on how to begin your own collection and curate physical spaces that reflect your identity and experience.

About the authors:

Jannah and Kiyanna Handy are the co-founders of BLK MKT Vintage, an online vintage/antique concept shop that specializes in collectibles and curiosities, representing the richness of black history and lived experience. Their passion for material culture and found objects has led them to interior design projects, personal sourcing, set design, prop rental, museum loans and other curatorial projects in media/entertainment, education, the arts & philanthropy. Jannah has a background in business and education, with a B.A. in Economics from Smith College, and a M.Ed. in Higher Education from UMASS, Amherst. Kiyanna has a background in fashion & education, with a B.A. in Journalism & Africana Studies and a M.A. in Women's Studies, all fromRutgers University. The pair jointly serve on the Board of Trustees of Weeksville Heritage Center, one of the country’s first free Black communities in their hometown, Brooklyn, New York.

About the interviewer:

Renata Cherlise is a research-based visual artist, memory worker, founder, and author of Black Archives: A Photographic Celebration of Black Life (2023). Cherlise uses various mediums to explore themes of identity, family, and culture. Her work seamlessly bridges her Southern upbringing with contemporary methodologies in digital and physical spaces while reimagining notions of the Black experience. Her archival project, Black Archives, has evolved from a passion project: a photo-based website of visual narratives, into a collaborative platform featuring archival histories and modern-day stories from across the African diaspora.

About the venue:

Masks are encouraged but not required.
AARL has a free parking lot accessible via Courtland street. Please park and enter the library to get a guest pass for your dashboard before having a seat in the auditorium.

Host or Publisher Charis Books and More + Charis Circle