Tagged Black History Month
Award-Winning Black Authors and The Newbery’s 100th Anniversary
The John Newbery Award is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2022! Commonly referred to as "The Newbery", the literary award is given each year by the American Library Association (ALA) to the author and their book…
Robert Bogle and Philadelphia’s Dynastic Black Caterers
Philadelphia’s Food Service History is Black History From the Historical Marker Database , photographed by Carolyn Martienssen, June 2015 You might have noticed on South 8th Street a historical marker that reads: “A noted…
Newspapers: A Guide Into the Past
Many of us may get our news from online sources these days—social media feeds provide a constant source of information about everything from policy proposals, the weather, celebrity news, and more, as the events unfold in…
Black Authors and Voices: Podcasts from the Author Events Archive
Our podcast archive dates back more than 25 years and features scores of author talks to help you commemorate, celebrate, and reflect on Black History Month. But even in just this past year, we’ve hosted an incredible variety of…
The Quilts of Gee's Bend
History is found in the pages of a textbook—or so I thought! This February, celebrate Black History Month by learning more about the history of Black quilt makers! Do you know about the (Quilt) Pieces of Black History series…
Picture Book Highlights | Black History Month
This February as we celebrate Black History Month, we want to recommend some pictures books published in 2021 that were written and/or illustrated by Black creators. In the following list, you’ll find books about history, love of…
Early Black Comic Book Writers, Illustrators, and Newspaper Cartoonists
Are you a fan of comic book characters such as Marvel Comics' Black Panther or DC Comics' Black Lighting ? These Black superhero comics gained renewed popularity in recent years as a result of blockbuster movies and TV series.…
Hangin’ with Hank: Imagining Louise
by Germaine Ingram On Sunday, February 13, at 6:00 p.m., live on YouTube , I’ll be in conversation with the tap/jazz aficionado and irrepressible raconteur Hank Smith on his every-so-often show Hangin’ with Hank .…
Celebrate Health and Wellness this Black History Month Throughout Philadelphia
Black History Month is a time to illuminate the past, to remember past trials and tribulations, and to celebrate the contributions of Black people in this country. The theme of this year’s celebration is Health and…
New Titles Coming to the Free Library in February!
It may be chilly outside, but the Free Library has some titles to warm you up this month! Young Children (up to 2nd Grade) Hey You!: An Empowering Celebration of Growing Up Black by Dapo Adeola This book addresses—honestly, yet…
Harriet Tubman’s Legacy
Araminta (Minty) Ross was born a slave in March 1821. As a free woman, she was reborn under the name of Harriet Tubman. As the conductor of the Underground Railroad, Harriet was named the Moses of her people. Harriet Tubman got the…
National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD)
Today is the 36th annual celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) , started in 1974 by the Women’s Sports Foundation . The purpose of the foundation is to provide support, resources, and communities for young…
Celebrating Black History Month at the Free Library
This February, the Free Library is proud to commemorate Black History Month , honoring the triumphs and achievements of Black Americans throughout U.S. history and celebrating Black history, culture, and heritage. Black History Month…
Reference Desk: Candid Conversations with Leslie and Dave!
The New Year is a time to reaffirm commitments and resolve to meet new goals. Leslie Walker , Interim Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, and Dave Edwards , Interim CEO of the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation, are…
Memories of the Golden Age of Hip Hop
I bomb atomically, Socrates’ philosophies and hypotheses Can’t define how I be dropping these mockeries Lyrically perform armed robbery - "Triumph (feat. Cappadonna)" by Wu-Tang Clan, 1997 I am a rap fan.…
Picture Book Highlights | Black History Month: Biographies
Throughout February, in celebration of Black History Month, Picture Book Highlights will focus on books written and / or illustrated by African American authors and illustrators. Today to close out the month, we take a look at…
Dr. Rebecca Cole: Pioneering Philadelphia Doctor and African American Health Advocate
One of the joys of my profession is not knowing who will spark my curiosity to continue learning about something or someone. To celebrate Black History Month this year, I let my curiosity guide me to inventors and scientists either born…
Emory C. Malick: Trailblazing African American Pilot
Bessie Coleman is known for being the first black women to get a pilot’s license. But have you ever wondered who the first Black man was to get his pilot’s license? Meet Emory Conrad Malick , a biracial man, born on December…
Philly Jazz Legends: The Heath Brothers
This is the seventh in a series of posts highlighting major figures in Philadelphia jazz history. Every one of the bolded album titles below can be streamed free with your library card via Alexander Street’s Jazz Music…
Black Authors and Voices: Podcasts from the Author Events Archive
To commemorate and celebrate the scope of Black History Month, you can jump into our Author Events podcast archive , which dates back almost 25 years! There you’ll find an astonishing wealth of Black voices, perspectives, and…
Biographies For Kids
Read biographies of famous and historical African Americans.
Barack Obama: The Making of an American President
Learn more about the life and achievement of President Obama.
African Americans Win the West
Pioneering African Americans of the Old West.
African Americans in the Cinema
Lights, Camera, Action! Dig into the world of Black filmmakers, actors and actresses.
Memoirs and Reminiscences by African American Authors
Autobiographical selections.
Award-Winning African American Authors
Books by prize-winning writers.
African American Revolutionaries and Inventors from Philadelphia
Inspiring stories and historical perspective of African American Revolutionaries and Inventors from Philadelphia through the years.
African American Quilts
Discover the beauty of these treasures of American folk art.
African American Celebrations
Explore the rich cultural traditions that are an integral part of the African American experience.
African American Books for Early Readers
Books starring African Americans for Early Readers.
Timeline of African American History
From the Library of Congress, a timeline of events from 1852-1925 put together to support a special digital collection entitled "African American Perspectives: Pamphlets from the Daniel A. P. Murray Collection".
The Philly Black History Syllabus: 13 Must-read Books to Understand Our City
Experts share what books spotlighting Philadelphia you should be reading during Black History Month.
The Faces of Science: African Americans in the Sciences
This site contains profiles of African Americans who have contributed to science and engineering. Many profiles contain photographs of the scientist.
The Faces of Science
African Americans in the Sciences: This site contains profiles of African Americans who have contributed to science and engineering. Many profiles contain photographs of the scientist.
The Authorship and Activism of Alice Dunbar Nelson – I Am An American!
The Rosenbach’s exhibition, “I Am an American!” The Authorship and Activism of Alice Dunbar-Nelson , explores these questions through the lens of an under-studied local author, teacher, and advocate for social justice who changed…
The 1619 Project
The 1619 Project is an ongoing initiative from The New York Times Magazine that began in August 2019, the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. It aims to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of…
Physicists of the African Diaspora
Short biographies of African American scientists prominent in physics, chemistry, engineering and mathematics.
PBS’s Teaching Your Child About Black History
"Instead of shying away from hard truths, parents can explain that a long time ago, people were separated by the color of their skin. Some people did not think that was fair, and men and women of all races united to make a change. This…
Notable African-American Government Officials
Important African American Government Officials
Notable African Americans
Short biographies of prominent African Americans from all walks of life.
National Constitution Center
Daily events and activities including Decoding the Document , a workshop that examines the museum’s own rare copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Abraham Lincoln, and the interactive Breaking Barriers show , spotlighting the…
Morehouse College
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., filmmaker Shelton "Spike" Lee, and Olympic Gold Medalist Edwin Moses are among the renowned alumni of Atlanta, Georgia's Morehouse College.
Lincoln University
Lincoln University is located in southern Chester County, about 45 miles southwest of Philadelphia. Famous alumni include Langston Hughes and Thurgood Marshall.
Howard University
This HBCU is located in Washington, D.C.
Hampton University
Located in southeastern Virginia, Hampton University offers a broad range of technical, liberal arts, pre-professional, professional, and graduate degree programs.
Desegregation of the Armed Forces
A Collection of Documents detailing President Truman's decision to desegregate the U.S. Armed Forces.
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Located just outside of Philadelphia and founded in 1837 as the Institute for Colored Youth, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is the oldest of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in America.
Black Dispatches
African American Contributions to Union Intelligence During the Civil War.
Black Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database
This database serves as a starting point for relatives or researchers as they begin to piece together individual experiences of black soldiers and sailors in the Civil War.
Bethune-Cookman College
Noted educator Mary McLeod Bethune founded what later became known as Bethune-Cookman College in 1904.
Black History Month
In celebration of Black History Month and African American History as a whole, explore our resources on African American history and culture including famous African Americans From Philadelphia, Poets and Poetry, Speculative Fiction,…