Charlotte attorney gifts masters’ artworks to HBCU

HAMPTON UNIVERSITY

Romare Bearden's collage La Primavera is among the artworks donated by Charlotte attorney T. Michael Todd to Hampton University.

Charlotte attorney T. Michael Todd has donated significant art from his private collection to Hampton University.

The historically Black college recently announced the gift valued at $371,000 that will expand Hampton’s holdings of African and African American art holdings. Todd, who has spent more than four decades building his collection of prominent artists like Jacob Lawrence, Charlotte native Romare Bearden, and Gastonia native John Biggers – all who have works at the Hampton University Museum’s permanent galleries. 

“The Hampton University Museum is not just a repository of art; it’s a living testament to the resilience of Black artists and the power of storytelling through art," Vanessa Thaxton-Ward, director of the Hampton University Museum said in a statement. “Our collections and exhibitions remind the world that Black art isn't peripheral but central to the broader narrative of American history.”

Todd’s connection to Hampton University is familial: he is the uncle of alumni Guila Todd (Class of 1999) and attorney Melvin Todd (2004). 

Charlotte attorney T. Michael Todd made a gift of art estimated at $371,000 to Hampton University in Virginia.

Todd, founder of the Law Offices of T. Michael Todd and a former District Court judge in Charlotte, has held numerous leadership roles, including President of the John S. Leary Association of Black Lawyers and vice chairman of the Fayetteville State University board of trustees. His collection has been exhibited across the East Coast, including the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture and Newark Museum of Art in New Jersey.

The Hampton University Museum, founded in 1868, is the nation’s oldest African American museum and houses more than 9,000 objects, including the world’s first collection of African American fine art.

"Alumni, community, and corporate support of Hampton University is essential," said Marc Newman, Hampton’s chief advancement officer. “When you give back, you weave your financial footprint into the fabric of Hampton’s future. Gifts of this magnitude and cultural significance are vital as we embark upon our ambitious capital campaign, ensuring that the Hampton legacy not only continues, but flourishes.”

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