Sherl Nero (1939-2006) was a fashion and textile designer who graduated from Parsons School of Design in 1962 and worked in sportswear design before joining the Design Works of Bedford Stuyvesant (DWBS) in 1971. DWBS was the brainchild of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and designers Doris and Leslie Tillett. With financing from the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, the Black-owned business produced African-inspired designs for fabrics and homewares.

This collection contains design material made by Nero at DWBS and from her work as a designer for Burlington Domestics, Aberdeen Inc., and other home textile companies. Also included is biographical material documenting Nero's achievements throughout her career and her trajectory from a fashion student at Parsons to design director for a large home textiles company.