1. Happy Birthday, Arturo Schomburg! Arturo Alfonso Schomburg (January 24, 1874-June 8, 1938), bibliophile, collector, writer, and a key intellectual figure in the Harlem Renaissance, spent his life championing black history. Schomburg is best known for his worldwide collection of literature, documents, manuscripts, and art and artifacts from and about the black world.The New York Public Library purchased his vast collection in 1926. Today, the Schomburg Center in Harlem, New York is home to 10 million items.

    Happy Birthday, Arturo Schomburg!

    Arturo Alfonso Schomburg (January 24, 1874-June 8, 1938), bibliophile, collector, writer, and a key intellectual figure in the Harlem Renaissance, spent his life championing black history.

    Schomburg is best known for his worldwide collection of literature, documents, manuscripts, and art and artifacts from and about the black world.The New York Public Library purchased his vast collection in 1926. Today, the Schomburg Center in Harlem, New York is home to 10 million items.

  2. Join Schomburg’s Junior Scholars as they host the Black Comic Book Festival on Saturday, January 12th! A festival celebrating the rich tradition of black superheroes, the event is opened to all ages and will feature lively panel discussions, an awesome photo exhibit and the chance to meet some of your favorite black comic book writers! Open to comic book lovers of all ages!

    Join Schomburg’s Junior Scholars as they host the Black Comic Book Festival on Saturday, January 12th! A festival celebrating the rich tradition of black superheroes, the event is opened to all ages and will feature lively panel discussions, an awesome photo exhibit and the chance to meet some of your favorite black comic book writers!

    Open to comic book lovers of all ages!

    (Source: )

  3. For this back-to-school edition of Mustache Monday, we bring you James C. Moore, principal and founder of the East Tennessee Industrial School. For more images, see “Sketch book of Livingstone College and East Tennessee Industrial School, Salisbury, N.C.” Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture / General Research and Reference Division

    For this back-to-school edition of Mustache Monday, we bring you James C. Moore, principal and founder of the East Tennessee Industrial School. For more images, see
    “Sketch book of Livingstone College and East Tennessee Industrial School, Salisbury, N.C.”

    Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture / General Research and Reference Division

  4. schomburgcenter:

    Federico Fernando Pita, President of DIAFAR (African Diaspora of Argentina) visited the Schomburg Center today. DIAFAR is an organization that includes “the Afro born in Argentina, African-Americans and African immigrants” to Argentina who are reviving the 500-year-old history and culture of Africans in Argentina.


    Captions:

    (1): Tammi Lawson, Librarian of the Schomburg’s Art and Artifacts Division, shows woodcuts related to the writings of Langston Hughes by Argentina artist Antonio Frasconi.

    (2): Sharon Howard (second from left), Chief Librarian, displays books in English and Spanish, relating to Argentina.

    (3): Diana Lachatanere (far right), Curator of Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, shows documents detailing the history of Africans in Argentina, which began with the arrival of enslaved Africans in the early 1500s.

    (4): Mary Yearwood (far right), Curator of the Photographs and Prints Division Mary Yearwood (far right), displays photographs and illustrations related to Argentina and all of Latin America.

  5. The Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy K. Smith comes to the Schomburg Center this Saturday: schomburgcenter: Congratulations to Tracy K. Smith!On Monday, her birthday, Smith won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for her collection Life on Mars. Brooklynite Smith, an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Princeton, is one of the poets featured in our National Poetry Month blog post, A Poem a Day. Join Tracy at the Pen World Festival here at the Schomburg Center on May 5!

    The Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy K. Smith comes to the Schomburg Center this Saturday:

    schomburgcenter:

    Congratulations to Tracy K. Smith!

    On Monday, her birthday, Smith won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for her collection Life on Mars. Brooklynite Smith, an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Princeton, is one of the poets featured in our National Poetry Month blog post, A Poem a Day.

    Join Tracy at the Pen World Festival here at the Schomburg Center on May 5!

  6. Come out to hear Rodney King talk about his new book, The Riot Within at the Schomburg-Tuesday, April 24.

    Come out to hear Rodney King talk about his new book, The Riot Within at the Schomburg-Tuesday, April 24.

  7. Talks at the Schomburg: Alexander McCall Smith

    Join us this Sunday!

    schomburgcenter:

    Join Alexander McCall Smith at the Schomburg Center on April 15, 2012—for his ONLY Manhattan appearance—to discuss his new book, The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection.

    Tickets are still available: http://www.showclix.com/event/223525


  8. An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.

    — 

    Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

    On April 4, 1968, Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.

  9. Did you miss Meshell Ndegeocello at The Schomburg Center a few weeks ago? Watch this great video that exudes the spirit of the evening. The Schomburg’s Women’s Jazz Festival continues tonight, as some of New York’s best female jazz musicians come together to pay homage to the great jazz and blues greats, while next Monday, a group of performers play from the Bernice Johnson Reagon songbook.

    (Source: arcade44.tv)

  10. Today is the anniversary of Malcolm X’s assassination. Head to the Schomburg Center for two extraordinary events that remember him: - At 1pm, elders including Abdullah Abdur Razzaq, Malcolm’s personal secretary, share remembrances and discuss how he has impacted their lives.  - At 7pm, a who’s who of notable participants read from Malcolm X’s diaries, speeches, radio addresses, and letters. Both are free, but you can call (212) 491-2040 to get on the list and ensure admission. Photo credit: Malcolm X on university tour. Robert L. Haggins. Malcolm X Collection, Photographs and Prints Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library.

    Today is the anniversary of Malcolm X’s assassination. Head to the Schomburg Center for two extraordinary events that remember him:

    - At 1pm, elders including Abdullah Abdur Razzaq, Malcolm’s personal secretary, share remembrances and discuss how he has impacted their lives. 

    - At 7pm, a who’s who of notable participants read from Malcolm X’s diaries, speeches, radio addresses, and letters.

    Both are free, but you can call (212) 491-2040 to get on the list and ensure admission.

    Photo credit: Malcolm X on university tour. Robert L. Haggins. Malcolm X Collection, Photographs and Prints Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library.