Ms. Deborah Heard donated the first NBAF collection to the Auburn Avenue Research Library on August 14, 1996. Her donated items include: Textiles - commemorative tee-shirts, caps, sweatshirt, and canvas tote bag. Ephemera - commemorative buttons, compact disc recording, and publications, such as program guides, brochures, exhibit catalogs and guides, flyers, promotional packages, catalogs, annual reports, The Drum, Essays, tour guide pamphlets, news clippings, and poetry.

The second part of the collection was donated by Mr. Clyde Hudson, on November 27, 1999. His donated items include: Audio cassette tapes, program booklets, exhibit catalogs, photographs (scrapbooks, albums, etc.), financial records, administrative records, correspondence, reports, folk arts records, minutes, and banners.