The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture's digital collections include manuscripts, maps, photographs, recorded conversations, digital exhibitions, and more.
 
Over 1,000 collections reside in NYPL's Digital Collections and over 300 recorded programs are located on the Center’s Livestream channel.

Can't decide which collections or talks to explore first?

Dr. Brian Jones, associate director of Schomburg Educational Programs, shares his picks. Dr. Jones oversees the Center’s Junior Scholars and Teen Curators programs. A noted education activist, he wrote a chapter for the 2020 book, Black Lives Matter at School: An Uprising for Educational Justice, and is currently writing a book on the 1960s Tuskegee student movement.

BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY PROJECT and  NONLINEAR PENDULUMS: VOYAGE THROUGH INFINITE BLACKNESS

Overview: Students in the 2019-20 class of the Schomburg Center’s Junior Scholars and Teen Curators programs created the online exhibitions as part of their final projects. Each group used the Center’s collections as part of its research and inspiration.  

Why: “Last spring both of our enrolled youth programs did a U-turn and transformed themselves into online-only, virtual programs,” Dr. Jones said. “Since the fall, the Junior Scholars were studying Malcom X and the Teen Curators were exploring Afrofuturism. They decided to stay with these themes, but to weave in their thoughts about the global pandemic and the uprising against institutional racism. The resulting showcases are fantastic.”

UNEARTHING GENIUS & JOY WITH GHOLDY MUHAMMAD

Overview: Dr. Gholdy Muhammad discusses how the practices of 19th century Black literary societies can guide the work of teachers in K-12 classrooms today. She also discusses the history of Black women activists with Dr. Treva Lindsey, and shares some of her favorite resources for lesson-planning from the Schomburg Center's archives. Dr. Jones moderated the October 2020 conversation.

Why: “Why should educators study blackness?,” Dr. Jones asked. “Dr. Muhammad answers that the learning goals for Black people have historically been more advanced than the goals we have for young people in schools today. Today’s schools are too focused on so-called 'skills' and neglect identity, joy and a sense of higher purpose, all of which were central to Black educational institutions historically.  Why not learn from a group of people who simultaneously found genius and joy in everything that they did, amongst the nation’s harshest realities.

HOW TO DRAW BLACK SUPERHEROES

Overview: Illustrator Tim Fielder teaches a workshop on how to draw Black superheroes. The discussion was part of the 2021 Black Comic Book Festival.

Why: "I recommend that anyone who missed the Schomburg Center's 9th Annual Black Comic Book Festival should travel back in time and watch it," Dr. Jones said. "Fortunately, the festival website has a time machine. If you visit the program page, you can transport yourself back to any of the 13 programs. My favorite was the first one, How to Draw Black Superheroes by comic book artist Tim Fielder.

To see more conversations, explore the Schomburg Center's Livestream archive.

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