Deborah Wainwright, born in 1946 in Maryland, dedicated her life to helping others and guiding them on their paths. She became an associate professor at the Community College of Essex, which then become the Community College of Baltimore County, to continue her work. Deborah joined the counseling services of the college in 1972 to have more contact with the students and community. After becoming the Director of Minority Affairs, she established a permanent collection of African American Art in 1999 to be displayed on the second floor of the College Community Center, which is now the Robert and Eleanor Romadka College Center. 

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After her passing in 2000, the staff of the Office of Student Life & the Office of Minority Affairs established the Deborah Wainwright Memorial Collections of African American Art and African Folk Art. This collection is in recognition of her leadership and in her effort to increase the presence of African American and African folk art on the college campuses. 

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Members of the college and community are invited to help build this collection by donating artifacts or funds for artifacts in their name as an honor to Deborah Wainwright, or simply to the cause of increasing the presence of diverse artwork hosted on the college campuses. Please contact the Gallery Coordinator for more information on how to donate to the Permanent Collections of artworks for CCBC.