The Love of Fine Art

While all of his charitable work has been inspiring, Grant turned a lifelong love of art into what may be his most benevolent endeavor off the court. One of the world's premier collectors of African American art, Grant wanted to draw attention to a facet of popular culture that has gone unrecognized and unappreciated for far too long — African American art. Grant sponsored a nearly three year, seven city tour of his personal art collection entitled "Something All Our Own: The Grant Hill Collection of African American Art." This is an atypical example of an athlete capitalizing on the incredible power and influence that is often left unexplored by professional athletes.

Featuring a large collection of African American artists, including the works of celebrated masters Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, as well as the work of artists including Hughie Lee-Smith, John Biggers, Phoebe Beasely, Malcolm Brown, Edward Jackson, John Coleman and Arthello Beck, Jr., the popular exhibition attracted visitors of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. Grant's message stressed the importance for young boys and girls to witness African Americans who have been successful outside of sports and entertainment. In conjunction with the exhibition, Grant created the "Something All Our Own Scholarship," which provided educational assistance to college students interested in pursuing a degree in visual arts. Through these efforts, Grant encouraged creative exploration of avenues beyond sports and entertainment while sharing his appreciation of artists who have played an important part in his life.