Tagged Black History Month
"La femme noir" by Philadelphia's Youth Poet Laureate, Telicia Darius
The City of Philadelphia in conjunction with the Free Library administered the title of Youth Poet Laureate to Telicia Darius in September 2022. This civic position recognizes an exceptional poet who also demonstrates a commitment to…
Celebrating Black Voices with the Free Library Podcast
It’s Black History Month and the Free Library has an extensive archive of podcasts and videos to help you celebrate a diverse range of writers working in politics, fiction, food, poetry, religion, memoirs, sports, and much more.…
Picture Book Highlights | Black History Month
This February as we celebrate Black History Month, we want to recommend some pictures books published in 2022 that were written and/or illustrated by Black creators. In the following list, you’ll find books about self-love and…
Six Upcoming Black History Month Author Events at the Free Library
February is Black History Month and, as we do throughout the year, the Free Library’s Author Events series is excited to celebrate diverse voices, viewpoints, and topics. This includes the story of one Black Philadelphian…
Black History Month for Kids and Families
Welcome to Black History Month! The theme of this year’s annual celebration is Black Resistance , an acknowledgement of the continued fight against historic and on-going oppression. Join the Free Library to celebrate Black…
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) You So Black by Theresa Tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. Based on Theresa Wilson’s (a.k.a. Theresa…
The HistoryMakers: Enjoy African American History On-Demand
Using your library card, you can now enjoy Black history in the oral tradition via The HistoryMakers Digital Archive : the largest video archive of African American history spanning from the 1700s to the present day. This special…
All the Historic Black Newspapers Available Online With Your Library Card
What better way to learn about Black history than through the lens of Black news sources, as written and published by the African American journalists of yesterday? The Free Library is pleased to highlight a digital resource…
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…
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,…