In the Martinsville Bulletin, there were two stories about Rev. Tyler C. Millner Sr. and his collection of black history. Bill Wyatt, the reporter, published the story "Millner seeks local homes for lifetime Black history collection," and then, in Wyatt’s weekly opinion column, shared his point of view.
The Rev. Tyler C. Millner Sr. displayed some of his collection each year at Morning Star Holy Church during Black History Month. Now that he is retired, he has spoken some time in the press and other public institutions about donating his collection. It is truly a valuable collection, approximately 50 years in the making. Now the Martinsville Bulletin enters the scene late with its take on Black history,
In his opinion piece, "What We Leave Behind," reporter Bill Wyatt offers his perspective.
Wyatt did not mention Tyler Millner by name; he referred to him as a retired Black minister. Wyatt said that when he saw Millner, he was surrounded by more than 50 years of things he had refused to let history forget. He mentioned, "Books filled boxes and drawers. Plastic totes held newspaper clippings, church records, programs, photographs, and artifacts. He had gathered material about Martin Luther King Jr., the Black press, Black women, Black preaching, and the work of people whose names never became famous.
Wyatt said, "Still, even the keeper of history eventually has to let go."
The Minister (Millner) said, “The ultimate is not in the things, it’s in the spirit.”
In Bill Wyatt's closing, he stated, The saddest part is not that his collection may have little market value. It is that the one person who can fully explain it will not always be here. Perhaps the best thing he can leave is not every object, but the stories that make the objects matter. And perhaps our duty is to listen while he can still tell them.
What is Black History?
Black history is always evolving; what was noted today can be history tomorrow. Many white reporters and general people have to realize they had a limited role in black history. If they don't understand it or can't find it on a Google search. The reporter believes the Rev. Tyler C. Millner Sr. may have to cherry-pick his 50-year-old collection.
The reality is that every piece of material is valuable in its own right. Wyatt believes that if Millner is not around, people may not know what it is. Black Americans know the items; they have lived them. The future history of the black experience will be told in a way you can't find using AI or the internet or a white reporter's point of view.