A very enthusiastic overflow crowd greeted the opening of "The Journey Begins: Visions of a Young Artist" at the Black History Museum.
"This really brings home to Alexandria our rich cultural history and background," declared Bill Cleveland, former vice-mayor and now candidate for sheriff.
Warren L. Harris, Sr., a young artist from New York, worked as a draughtsman at the Torpedo Factory in 1941, when it really was a torpedo factory. He lived on North Alfred and North Patrick streets and gave piano lessons in his spare time.
It was here that he met the young lady from Tennessee who became his wife and mother of his five children. Here he organized a talent contest for the Naval Torpedo Plant Workers which was won by Alexandria's own Eudora Lyles and Lola Lucas.
A whole busload of relatives and friends came down from New York for the reception, among them Verda Harris Olayinka, his oldest child, with her husband.
Two delightful portraits in the exhibition are of Verda as a child.
After working at the Torpedo Factory, Harris went on to become an award winner and an art teacher. It seems particularly appropriate that the torpedo factory where he used his artistic talent to improve the design of torpedoes should now be an art center.
Jim Hartmann, our city manager, was at the opening, as was Jean Federico of the Office of Historic Alexandria.
Louis Hicks, Audrey Davis, and Lillian Patterson are to be commended for adding one more to the list of interesting exhibits they have brought us.