Avery Clayton

Avery Clayton (March 17, 1947–November 26, 2009) established a library and museum to house African American artifacts collected by his mother, the late Mayme Agnew Clayton.

Avery Clayton
Born(1947-03-17)March 17, 1947
Los Angeles, California
DiedNovember 26, 2009(2009-11-26) (aged 62)
NationalityAmerican
Alma materLos Angeles City College
UCLA
OccupationExecutive Director
EmployerMayme A. Clayton Library and Cultural Center
Known forEstablished a library and museum of African American artifacts
Parent(s)Andrew Clayton and Mayme Agnew
Websitehttp://www.claytonmuseum.org/

Biography

Clayton was born in Los Angeles, the eldest of three sons born to Andrew Clayton, a barbershop owner and Mayme Agnew, a librarian, who over forty years would assemble an impressive collection of African-American artifacts.[1]

After serving in the Army during the Vietnam War, Clayton studied at Los Angeles City College and graduated with a bachelor's degree in art from UCLA.[1]

In 2006, just days before his mother's death at age 83, Clayton signed a $1-a-year lease on a former courthouse in Culver City, California to house his mother's extensive collection.[1]

"Her part was to assemble the collection," Clayton has stated on several occasions. "I really believe my part is to bring it to the world."[1]

For the next three years, Clayton, a kidney transplant recipient, dedicated himself to raising the funds needed to open the Mayme A. Clayton Library and Cultural Center to the general public. The facility was scheduled to open possibly in 2010 or 2011 at the time of his sudden death from a heart attack on Thanksgiving, 2009.[1][2]

Cynthia Hudley, a UC Santa Barbara professor and vice president of the facility's board of directors, was named interim director in the wake of Clayton's death.[2] She stepped down from that position in 2010.

A public memorial service was scheduled for Saturday, December 19, 2009 at the Agape International Spiritual Center in Culver City.[3]

References
  1. Nelson, Valerie J. (2009-11-27). "Avery Clayton dies at 62; carried on mother's work through African American library-museum". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-12-05. Avery Clayton, who carried on the work of his mother, Mayme Clayton, by establishing a library and museum in Culver City for her major collection of African American artifacts, died Thanksgiving Day. He was 62.
  2. Wada, Karen (2009-11-30). "Clayton Library director named". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-12-05. The board of directors of the Mayme A. Clayton Library and Museum has named Cynthia Hudley, a UC Santa Barbara education professor, as interim executive director, succeeding Avery Clayton, the son of the library's founder who died at age 62 after suffering a heart attack Thursday.
  3. "Avery Clayton memorial service is set for Dec. 19". Los Angeles Times. 2009-12-05. Retrieved 2009-12-05. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Dec. 19 for Avery Clayton, who established a library and museum to showcase his mother’s major collection of African American artifacts. The service will be at Agape International Spiritual Center, 5700 Buckingham Parkway, Culver City.


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