NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Fisk University President Hazel O'Leary said Wednesday that it could be several years before the school sees any money from the proposed sale of a 50 percent stake in an art collection donated by Georgia O'Keeffe.

O'Leary made her comments during a ceremony at which Baptist ministers of the city's Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship gave the school more than $25,000 as part of an effort to raise $250,000 to help keep Fisk afloat.

The cash-strapped school has been fighting a legal battle since 2005 to try to sell parts of the 101-piece art collection, including O'Keeffe's 1927 oil painting, Radiator Building — Night, New York, to help raise money.

A trial is scheduled for February to decide whether Fisk's $30 million agreement to share the collection with the Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Ark., is close enough to O'Keeffe's wishes to be approved. O'Keeffe died in 1986.

The artworks were part of the nearly 1,000-piece collection of O'Keeffe's husband, photographer and art promoter Alfred Stieglitz, that she gave away after he died in 1946.

O'Leary said she expects that even if the school wins its case, an appeal could take up to another three years.

"So we can't count on a timeline for that money, so we will go on to do what we have to do," she said.

O'Leary said the school is launching a capital campaign to try to raise $6.2 million by the end of June, and is also raising money to help pay for scholarships.

The Baptist ministers said they hope to raise at least $1,000 from each of the 200 affiliate member churches in the fellowship. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean added a $1,000 personal contribution at Wednesday's event.

"Fisk is a vital part of the city, and whatever ability I have to encourage people to step up at this time, I would encourage people to do so," Dean said.

Fisk University was founded in 1866 to educate former slaves, but the school has struggled throughout its history to raise money and nearly closed in the early 1980s because of lack of funding.




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