San Antonio—Dr. Joseph Pierce, a retired anesthesiologist, and Aaronetta Hamilton Pierce, a distinguished San Antonio arts and cultural leader, have focused much of their lives together on promoting the art and culture of African Americans. (see video below)
At one point, Dr. Pierce had amassed a collection of roughly 8000 books by African American authors, including many first editions. In 1987, Hamilton Pierce was largely responsible for bringing the first important African American art show to San Antonio.
“Hidden Heritage: Afro-American Art, 1800-1950” opened at the San Antonio Museum of Art and included the works of Grafton Tyler Brown and Elizabeth Catlett.
Hamilton Pierce was a 1993 Inductee into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame for the Arts, and she has served on numerous boards for local and national organizations and institutions: the Texas Commission on the Arts, the Texas Cultural Trust Council, the Witte Museum, San Antonio Public Library Foundation, and the San Antonio Spurs Foundation.
