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Paul Jones went on to a successful career--first as a businessman, then working with the interracial commission in Birmingham, and later as an official in the Nixon Administration.  He worked as an administrator with the Peace Corp and later with the Department of Education.  While with the Education Department Jones awarded a large grant to Alabama for adult education.  He did not mention his previous dealings with the University at that point.  (Jones was in the news last month when some Nixon tapes were opened, because Jones had been in charge of Nixon's get out the black vote campaign in 1972.)  He ran for Congress in 1982 (as a Republican) in Atlanta.  This story is beginning to smack of inside baseball, so let me get to the point.

Though Jones did not mention his dealings with UA, he had not forgotten.  In fact, he saved his rejection letter for decades.  And he became an important collector of African American art.

In 2006 the University awarded him an honorary degree.  That degree was given because of his accomplishments as an art collector, rather than to make amends for the ancient wrong.  But in that action, the University renewed a relationship.  And in 2007 Dr. Jones gave a significant portion of his art collection to the University.  And now through his generosity and that of the University, too, Jones is bringing students and artists together.  Ah, what a wonderful story--and what a happy ending (or should I say outcome, because I know the story of Jones' art is long from finished) to the saga.

I've learned a lot from Dr. Jones over the years and from examples he's set.  One of my favorite stories about him, though, is not about his art collection nor his relationship to the University, but about his childhood growing up in Bessemer, Alabama. He sometimes went with his parents to the Bright Star--a legendary restaurant that's still in operation in Bessemer. I highly recommend it next time you're in Birmingham. Because those were the days of Jim Crow, Jones' family could not go in the front door.  So the proprietor would set up a table in the kitchen (or by the kitchen) and the Joneses came in the back door. That was a courageous position for the restaurant in those days, I am reliably informed.  

A while ago I asked Dr. Jones whether he'd been back to Bright Star. And he said "yes. It's still a great restaurant. [Pause] And this time I went in the front door!" Ah, what changes he's witnessed over his lifetime--and what changes he's been a part of, and contributed to as well. It's an important lesson of foregiveness and of moving forward.  As we say in the historical memory business, we are far too often burdened by memory.

The illustration, Romare Bearden's East Carolina Morning, is from Jones' collection at the University of Alabama.

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