“Blind Tom crossing Horace King bridge” by Najee Dorsey

22 x 21 inches, limited edition of 10, framed

Thomas Greene Wiggins was born May 25, 1849 to Mungo and Charity Wiggins, slaves on aGeorgiaplantation. He was blind and autistic but amusicalgenius with a phenomenal memory. In 1850 Tom, his parents, and two brothers were sold to James Neil Bethune, alawyerand newspapereditorin Columbus, Georgia. Young Tom was fascinated by music and other sounds, and could pick out tunes on the piano by the age of four. He made his concert debut at eight, performing in Atlanta.

In 1858 Tom was hired out as aslave-musician, at a price of $15,000. In 1859, at the age of 10, he became the first African American performer to play at the White House when he gave a concert before President James Buchanan. His piano pieces Oliver Galop and VirginiaPolka were published in 1860. During theCivil Warhe was back with his owner, raising funds for Confederate relief. By 1863 he played his own composition, Battle of Manassas. By 1865, 16-year-old Tom Wiggins, now indentured to James Bethune, could play difficult works of Bach, Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven, and Thalberg. He also played pieces after one hearing, and memorizedpoemsand text in foreign languages. Advertising claimed Tom was untaught, but in fact he was tutored by a Professor of Music who traveled with him.

James Neil Bethune took Tom Wiggins toEuropewhere he collected testimonials from music critics Ignaz Moscheles and Charles Halle, which were printed in a booklet The Marvelous Musical Prodigy Blind Tom. With these and other endorsements, Blind Tom Wiggins became an internationally recognized performer. By 1868 Tom and the Bethune family lived on a Virginia farm in the summer, while touring the United States andCanadathe rest of the year, averaging $50,000 annually in concert revenue. James Bethune eventually lost custody of Tom to his late son’s ex-wife, Eliza Bethune. Charity Wiggins, Tom’s mother, was a party to the suit, but she did not win control of her son or his income.

Blind Tom Wiggins gave his last performance in 1905. He died three years later on June 13, 1908 at the age of 59 at his managers home in Hoboken,New Jersey.

In the work I do, I present an American experience through the lens of my African-American perspective, saysNajee Dorsey.In the exhibitionLeaving Mississippi Reflections on Heroes and Folklore, Dorseys Mississippi Delta roots emerge as he pays homage to a cast of colorful characters, historic events, and conditions of Southern life while creating commentary about current economic and social conditions in America. The mixed-media works in the exhibition showcase a number of the heroes of the civil rights movements, participants of civil disobedience in the early 20th century, and folklore legends including Dangerfield Newby, Bass Reeves, and Robert Charles. The work combines themes that have interested Dorsey for the past few years: journeys that people embark upon as they search for a better life, and the resistance of those who stay where they are to fight the powers that be. The artist uses a variety of materials, including photographic imagery, ripped paper, paint and found objects. Each composition blends multiple textures, colors, and layers to make the stories tangible for viewers.

Born and raised in the Delta and now a resident of the Columbus area, Dorsey has shown his work in numerous solo and group exhibitions. He has been the recipient of awards that include a 2006 Patrons Purchase Award from the Polk Museum of Art. His work can be found in the collections of Charles H. Wright Museum; Syracuse University; the African American Museum in Dallas, TX; the Marietta Museum of Art, FL; and Liberty Bank and Trust Company in New Orleans, LA. In 2010, Dorsey created the website Black Art in America (BAIA), the leading global social network and resource for African-American visual artists, collectors, industry leaders, and arts enthusiasts.