Blog Posts by Subject: African American Studies

In honor of the many battles faced by Black LGBTQIA+ individuals and communities, we're spotlighting archival materials that document some of the battles won and those that are still being fought for equity, inclusion, and respect.

The Schomburg Center is excited to announce a new project which brings together digitized books by 38 African American women writers of the nineteenth century, biographies for each writer, and a list of online resources that will lead to further discovery and advanced knowledge of these incredible authors.

We invite readers to engage with these books which recognize and celebrate the histories of Black folks who were able to thrive in spite of the conditions that surrounded them.

The Manuscripts Archives and Rare Books Division reveals the papers of pioneer filmmaker, Oscar Micheaux.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and its devastation of New Orleans. It’s a city that has clawed its way back from the brink. This booklist of memoirs and nonfiction paints a picture of the city it once was and the city it has now become.

Understanding that they, as young people, are historical actors and that their lives are worthy of scholarly analysis can be a profoundly empowering experience.

For Black History Month, introduce your kids to black figures who have deeply influenced modern-day American culture. Check our 2019 list of kids' biographies and look for the hashtag #NYPL4TheCulture on social media!

This post is the first in the "Joy Out of Fire" series on expressions of femininity reclaimed by 20th century Black women entertainers inspired by "Firelei Baez: Joy Out of Fire" currently on display in the Latimer/Edison Gallery at the Schomburg Center.

This past fall marked the 80th anniversary of the publication of Zora Neale Hurston’s iconic novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. In honor of the novel, a display titled Our Eyes Are On Zora is on display in the Schomburg Center For Research in Black Culture.

In this 1943 letter, civil rights icon Ella Baker sends a passionate plea for potential members for the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) for a variety of planned initiatives on behalf of the organization. Makiba Foster, our Assistant Chief Librarian, reads the letter aloud.

In honor of National Poetry Month, and what would have been her 89th birthday, we celebrate the life and work of, Dr. Maya Angelou, with this Research Guide. Here, you will find an overview of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture’s holdings related to the work and life of this notable poet, writer, journalist, actress, and dancer.

In honor of International Women's Day, we honor former Schomburg Center Photographs and Prints Division curator, Dr. Deborah Willis. In this interview, Dr. Willis discusses the BLACK PORTRAITURE[S] III: Reinventions: Strains of Histories and Cultures conference, her photography work, and her pioneering work at The Schomburg Center.

In this letter to friends, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, Julian Mayfield discusses his work on a play, world news in Ghana, and a discussion with Malcolm X.

Check out four of the top online exhibitions highlighting African Americans in honor of Black History Month.

New! This series of Schomburg Center Research Guides will provide you with resources related to various topics and subjects related to the Global Black Experience. This research guide will provide you with an overview of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture’s holdings related to Black dance pioneer, Katherine Dunham.

These books blend together a rich combination of history, fable, and illustrations that engage and teach children the importance of America's cultural diversity.

The Schomburg Center's collection of WPA photographs is now available on the NYPL's Digital Collections site.

An interview with John Keene: a writer-in-residence in the Library’s Wertheim Study in 2013, where he researched and wrote Counternarratives, for which he received an American Book Award and a Lannan Literary Award in Fiction in 2016.

New! This series of Schomburg Center Research Guides will provide you with resources related to various topics and subjects related to the Global Black Experience. This research guide will provide you with an overview of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture’s holdings related to Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association.