"The items in this collection represent the full range of African American history: the monumental, the terrible and the indelible moments of pride...extraordinary."

− The Washington Post

"In many ways, Mark's collection is a wonderful look at how African Americans struggled to speak for themselves...He has found a way to help us remember. There is nothing greater than helping people to remember."

− Lonnie Bunch, Founding Director, National Museum of African American History & Culture, Smithsonian Institution

"I have been involved with the purchase and sale as well as the appraisal of African American historical material for twenty-five years. During this time, I have seen some truly impressive private as well as institutional collections. But for a representation of clear, visually oriented, historical chronology from the 17th century to the modern era, the Mitchell Collection is by far one of the most impressive. It not only follows a clear and understandable time-line, but it contains some of the most extraordinary material relative to the African-American experience that I have ever seen. The Mitchell Collection deserves our attention. It should be preserved, kept in one piece, and cherished for the extraordinary story that it tells....and thus help us to better understand the long journey of Africans in America."

− Noted Historian and Appraiser, Wyatt Houston Day

"...the most valuable private assemblage of documents in Afro-Americana that I have ever seen."

− David W. Blight, Professor of History and Black Studies, Amherst College; author of Frederick Douglass's Civil War

"Your African American History history collection was indeed an eye-opener; it demonstrated the connection between African Americans and the African people...(It) should be promoted, sustained and accorded the widest publicity in order to educate more people about the history of the African Americans."

− Ambassador Molelekeng E. Rapolaki, Kingdom of Lethoso

"Having written about, collected, bought, and sold African Americana for nearly two decades, I can attest, first hand, to the Mitchell’s Collection’s integrity and historical significance – rarely has an assemblage of original manuscripts documents, newspapers, periodicals, antiques prints, books, and photographs of this caliber been amassed; rarely has an assemblage of material of this density (dating from the early 1600s through the present) been able to hold together, making its sum total more than equal to its individual pieces – a fact which I perceive as crucial to the collection’s uniqueness and valuation. Mr. Mitchell’s determination and vision to preserve the collection as a whole continuum of history will profoundly benefit students and scholars alike."

− Randy F. Weinstein, renowned appraiser of African American books, manuscripts and documents, and author of Against the Tide, a textbook of African American history

"Thank God and thank you, Mr. Mitchell, for the incredible documentation of my people's history."

− Cathy Hughes, Chairman and Founder, Radio One, Inc.

"Matchless! No other single collection of African American photographs, documents and manuscripts rivals the Mark E. Mitchell Collection for its combination of scholarly depth and flash!"

− W. Jeffrey Bolster, Professor of History, University of New Hampshire; author of Black Jacks: African American Seamen in the Age of Sail

"It is difficult to express fully what I feel. This falling into history, so painful, so inspiring, but above all, so human."

− Dr. Ronald Williams, President, Prince Georges Community College (Prince Georges County, Maryland)

"Your marvelous collection is the most amazing experience of Americans of African descent I've seen. Awesome!"

− Jimmy Jones, former guard for the Washington Bullets (now Washington Wizards)

"Mitchell's collection let's people see and touch history; it gives body to the stories and fact to the myths."

− The Huntsville Times (Alabama), March 28, 2001

"In my many years and travels, I have never seen anything like your collection anywhere. I am overwhelmed and deeply moved by the history of it all."

− the late Stanley Turrentine, jazz saxophonist and composer

"Your collection is unparalleled to any that I have ever had the privilege to see. A truly humbling experience!"

− Charles E. Bethea, Executive Director, Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia

"I am in awe of seeing so many originals up close! I actually touched a copy of the North Star and read parts of a Malcolm X letter written from jail in 1950. This is a dream for any scholar and/or historian."

− Marion Carpenter, Curator, Banneker-Douglass Museum

"Our children need to see this. I am excited and inspired by what I've seen. This was most educational."

− Joanne C. Benson, Delegate, Maryland House of Representatives

"I have reviewed a number of private collections and have not been more impressed -- You have amassed materials that tell a story few have had the opportunity to see."

− John E. Fleming, Former Director, National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

"The Mark E. Mitchell Collection of African American History spans five centuries, consisting of over 4,000 individual pieces -- defying description in scope, content and rarity."

− Dr. Joel Freeman, noted author and speaker

"Little did I know as we first talked about the dream of bringing pieces from your wonderful collection of Black history to this campus, and speaking to our faculty, staff, and students, that it would be such a tremendous success....it provided a new base for inspiration and a new appreciation of Black history....one of our top history students told me that as a result of your presentation, she has made a decision to devote her career to the teaching of African American history."

− Dr. Delbert W. Baker, President, Oakwood College, Huntsville, Alabama