Black Crown Art Auctions Enters the U.S. Market With a Focus on Black Art and Legacy
Walter and Cathy Shannon have launched Black Crown Art Auctions, a new fine art auction house they describe as the only active Black-owned and Black-operated operation of its kind in the United States. Founded in February and introduced at the 18th Annual Harlem Fine Art Show, the venture is built around a clear premise: that collecting can function as a form of preservation, authority, and cultural continuity.
The Shannons are already established figures in the art trade. They own E&S Gallery in Louisville, which has operated since 1989 and now occupies an 11,000-plus-square-foot building downtown. Through the gallery, they represent artists including Kevin West, whose work has been shown at Newfields Art Museum in Indianapolis and the Cincinnati Art Museum, as well as fiber artist Sherry Shine and collage artist Yolanda Ward.
Walter Shannon, a formally trained auctioneer, said the idea for Black Crown had been with him for years. Cathy Shannon framed the launch as a response to long-standing exclusions in the art market, saying the platforms that shape value and legacy have not historically belonged to Black artists, dealers, or collectors. Black Crown’s tagline, “Collect the culture. Own the legacy,” reflects that mission.
The first auction is scheduled for August in Martha’s Vineyard and will include works the Shannons already have in hand or can access, among them Harlem Renaissance artists. The sale will be offered both online and in the gallery, with additional cities under consideration.
For the Shannons, the business model is as important as the inventory. Cathy Shannon said they pay artists when their work sells, a practice she contrasted with galleries that do not. She also pointed to the couple’s outreach through conferences and events attended by professionals such as doctors, attorneys, and executives, along with Walter Shannon’s auction work on Tom Joyner cruises and at fundraisers for Alpha Kappa Alpha and the Links.
The couple say they are not trying to be everything to everyone. Instead, they are building a selective auction platform rooted in relationships, education, and authenticity. If Black Crown develops as they intend, it could become a rare market institution: one that treats Black art not as a niche, but as a legacy to be actively stewarded.
