The Pen Picture: The Success Story of an African American Family

In the last year of his life, former slave Wesley Mauney dictated his autobiography, The Pen Picture, in which he listed his accomplishments (railroad foreman, landholder, sawmill owner/operator, and employer) along with hopes for his 16 children and their descendants. Family was paramount to Mauney, who was sold away from his mother at the age of six and wasn't reunited with her until after the Civil War; later, he began the tradition of a family reunion, which is now celebrating its 100th anniversary. Narrated by James Avery (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), Rochelle Marmorstein's documentary short The Pen Picture looks at Mauney's life and the lives of many descendants he inspired, including North Carolina Congressman Melvin Watt, actor Brian Watt (The West Wing), artist Eugene Grisby, art collector Vivian Hewitt, and various teachers, lawyers, civil rights activists, pilots, and photographers, all of whom were recently honored at the Library of Congress as part of the Project Legacy Program. Mauney's belief in education and self-discipline, echoed here in interviews with family members, may well inspire others to emulate the one-time slave who worked to become a wealthy and respected businessman. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: I, J, H, C, P. (R. Reagan)