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Dorothy Porter Wesley is responsible for the impressive collection of African-American historical and cultural documents housed at Howard University’s Moorland-Springarn Research Center. The 95-year-old Wesley has spent most of her life combing public and private libraries in an effort to preserve the story of black people in the Americas. Today, Black Classic Press hosts a reception honoring Wesley and formally reissuing her Early Negro Writing, 1760-1837. The book, which first appeared in 1971, provides a glimpse of the foundation on which the African-American literary tradition is built. It includes personal letters, essays, and poetry by leaders of the black community: Among those anthologized are women’s rights activist Maria Stewart and AME founder Richard Allen. From 3-5 p.m. at the Howard University College of Fine Art’s Gallery of Art, 2400 6th St. NW. FREE. (410) 358-0980. (Jonetta Rose Barras)