Tagged African American
Collection Spotlight: Highlights from the Negro Leagues
Baseball: for over a century, the game has been known as "America’s favorite pastime." During the early parts of the 20th century, tuning in to a baseball game on the radio after a long day at work became a…
African American History in the Fleisher Collection
Lately, there has been a resurgence of interest in African Americans' contributions to the classical music genre. Boston Conservatory is set to have a Florence Price Birthday Celebration Concert ; the film Chevalier (released…
6 New Children's Books Celebrating Juneteenth!
We have some new books about Juneteenth to recommend! Last year our similar blog post suggested new titles that had been published and added to our collection. Here are some more to add to your reading list! A Flag for…
Honoring Juneteenth at the Free Library
Honor Juneteenth with the Free Library of Philadelphia! This year, we celebrate Juneteenth for the third time as a federal holiday, but it has been an important celebration for nearly 200 years! Juneteenth is the oldest known…
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…
Celebrating Juneteenth!
The Free Library is celebrating Juneteenth! Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the end of enslavement in the United States and a time when we come together to celebrate this monumental occasion across the country, within our…
New Children's Books for Celebrating Juneteenth!
In 2020, the city of Philadelphia declared June 19th a city holiday in recognition of Juneteenth, an important day in the history of African Americans and our country. New children's books have been released in the last couple of…
African American Art Collecting and Research with Philadelphia Author Sherry Howard
Updated Tuesday, December 7, 2021 Sherry L. Howard is a Philadelphia-based art collector and researcher who primarily focuses on local African American art and artists. She writes about her experience in the world of art auctions…
We Have a New Federal Holiday — Juneteenth!
Two months ago was the first official celebration of Juneteenth as a national holiday. On Thursday, June 17, 2021, Congress passed and presented the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act to President Joe Biden, who signed the bill…
Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom and Cuisine
African American Independence Day, widely referred to as Juneteenth, originated in Galveston, Texas in 1865. Though the Emancipation Proclamation, issued in 1863, freed millions of slaves in confederate states, African Americans in…
The Commemoration of Juneteenth
The oldest known celebration of the end of enslavement in U.S. history, Juneteenth is a day that recognizes freedom and liberation. Juneteenth, a combination of the words "June" and "nineteenth, centers Black lived…
Re-Creating Our World: Join Us for the One Book, One Philadelphia Finale
Eight weeks of programs diving into The Tradition , Jericho Brown’s collection of poetry and the One Book, One Philadelphia 2021 title , have gone by in the blink of an eye. We read, we wrote, we danced, we made music and art, and…
Making Her Mark Spotlight: Poetry and Movement Building
by Suzanna Urminska and Sam Perduta Our words carry power—whether as balm or as burnish, our words have the power to come together to form poetry that recalls and reconnects a range of human experiences both personal and…
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
This February, commemorate Black History Month with books that celebrate the history, culture, and beauty of Black Americans. Written and illustrated by #OwnVoices creators, these books are the perfect way to honor this important month.…
Picture Book Highlights | Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
On Monday, January 18, celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with us! These books honor Dr. King’s work and the impact of his amazing life during the Civil Rights Movement . A renowned speaker and activist, Dr. King’s words…
The History of Kwanzaa
Unlike many of the other holidays and traditions that we celebrate, Kwanzaa is one of the newest, at only 54 years old. It was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 as a way for African American families to reconnect to their roots and…
A Taste of African Heritage for Kwanzaa
Healthy Communities just wrapped a fall series of A Taste of African Heritage with instructor Paul O. Mims, who recently spoke with Oldways about Cooking, Culture, and Community During Covid . A Taste of African Heritage (ATOAH)…
Black History. Black News. Black Voices.
The Free Library is pleased to announce a new digital resource that provides access to the most distinguished African American Newspapers in the United States. Cardholders now have access to 10 historic Black newspapers that help piece…
Omar Tyree | Flyy Girl
The Author Events Series presents Omar Tyree | Flyy Girl REGISTER The bestselling urban classic novel about a young woman coming of age in the late 1980s. Tracy Ellison, a young knockout with tall hair and attitude, is living life as…
Patterns of Knowledge Exhibit
"Patterns of Knowledge," now on view in the main lobby of Parkway Central Library, features the work of Philadelphia high school students apprenticing at The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM). Each piece, screen-printed on…
Noliwe Rooks | Integrated: How American Schools Failed Black Children
The Author Events Series presents Noliwe Rooks | Integrated: How American Schools Failed Black Children REGISTER On May 17, 1954 the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education determined that racial segregation in schools was…
Fawn Weaver | Love & Whiskey: The Remarkable True Story of Jack Daniel, His Master Distiller Nearest Green, and the Improbable Rise of Uncle Nearest
The Author Events Series presents Fawn Weaver | Love & Whiskey: The Remarkable True Story of Jack Daniel, His Master Distiller Nearest Green, and the Improbable Rise of Uncle Nearest REGISTER Embark on a captivating…
Lauren Francis-Sharma | Casualties of Truth
The Author Events Series presents Lauren Francis-Sharma | Casualties of Truth REGISTER In Conversation with Airea D. Matthews Prudence Wright seems to have it all: a loving husband, Davis; a spacious home in Washington, D.C.; and…
Hip Hop Fundamentals Teen Workshop
Join Field Teen Center and Hip Hop Fundamentals to explore hip hop, breakdancing, and Black history with a performance and hands-on workshop. Students will amaze themselves as they learn basic moves and create their own choreography by…
Black History in Focus: A Cultural Collage
Join artist Jihan Thomas for a dynamic and interactive program exploring Black history through a visual collage. Focusing on the rich history of West Philadelphia, Jihan will highlight local figures along with landmarks and…
James Baldwin Reading Group
"The People of Philadelphia Read James Baldwin" is a citywide series of book clubs at several locations across Philadelphia. Facilitated by the Saturday Free School as part of their "Year of James Baldwin." Tuesdays…
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow Author Visit
Join us for a special visit with Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow. Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow is a Philadelphia-based author of popular educator-recommended children’s books. She is a two-time winner of the Muslim Bookstagram…
W.E.B. DuBois & His Artistic Approach to Social Science
In the Social Science & History Department W.E.B. Du Bois viewed sociology as a human science. In his effort to understand and explain the human capacity to transform society he employed art in its many forms including music,…
Designing Philadelphia: Julian Abele's Architectural Gems
Julian Abele (1881-1950), a Black Philadelphian Architect, designed landmarks that have enriched life in Philadelphia and shaped its personality for almost a century. His Beaux-Arts style design for the Parkway Central Library provides…
James Baldwin Reading Group
"The People of Philadelphia Read James Baldwin" is a citywide series of book clubs at several locations across Philadelphia. Facilitated by the Saturday Free School as part of their "Year of James Baldwin." Tuesdays…
Marlene Daut | The First and Last King of Haiti
The Author Events Series presents Marlene Daut | The First and Last King of Haiti REGISTER In Conversation with Grace Sanders Johnson Slave, revolutionary, traitor, king, and suicide, Henry Christophe was, in his time,…
African Drum Circle with Mister Boom Boom!
Unleash the rhythm within you with this exclusive program that teaches you to play a range of West African hand drums, including the djembe and the talking drum. The program wraps up with an exhilarating dance and drum circle, where you…
James Baldwin Reading Group
"The People of Philadelphia Read James Baldwin" is a citywide series of book clubs at several locations across Philadelphia. Facilitated by the Saturday Free School as part of their "Year of James Baldwin." Tuesdays…
TRAINS, TRAINS, TRAINS!
Storytellers Ki and Q using folk tales, puppets and songs tell the stories of trains in African-American history. Beginning in Africa with the camel trains of ancient Mali through the enslavement and freedom struggles of the Underground…
Black History Month Scavenger Hunt
Children ages 4-12 are welcomed to the library to learn about library resources and figures in Black History by completing a scavenger hunt! Turn in your completed sheet to Librarian Kate for a special treat! . Please note, this is…
Judy Giesberg & Lee Hawkins | Last Seen: The Enduring Search by Formerly Enslaved People to Find Their Lost Families AND I Am Nobody's Slave: How Uncovering My Family's History Set Me Free
The Author Events Series presents Judy Giesberg & Lee Hawkins | Last Seen: The Enduring Search by Formerly Enslaved People to Find Their Lost Families AND I Am Nobody's Slave: How Uncovering My Family's History Set Me Free…
James Baldwin Reading Group
"The People of Philadelphia Read James Baldwin" is a citywide series of book clubs at several locations across Philadelphia. Facilitated by the Saturday Free School as part of their "Year of James Baldwin." Tuesdays…
The Literature Department presents: Louis Parascandola - A Black Philadelphia Reader
Louis J. Parascandola is a Professor of Humanities at Long Island University, Brooklyn. He has published several books on Black authors including Eric Walrond, Gwendolyn Bennett, J. A. Rogers, and Amy Jacques Garvey. He is currently…
Alice Dunbar-Nelson
Free Library resources in support of the Rosenbach's Digital Exhibition: "I Am an American!" The Authorship and Activism of Alice Dunbar-Nelson
Award-Winning African American Authors
Books by prize-winning writers.
Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture, and Law
This HeinOnline collection brings together a multitude of essential legal materials on slavery in the U.S. and the English-speaking world. It includes nearly 2,000 titles, with every statute passed by every colony and state on slavery,…
Philadelphia Tribune (1912-2001)
Full access to the oldest continuously published daily Black newspaper in the United States.
HistoryMakers Digital Archive
Historical Newspapers - Black Newspapers
Primary source material from ten historic Black newspapers, including the Chicago Defender, The Baltimore Afro-American, New York Amsterdam News, Pittsburgh Courier, Los Angeles Sentinel, Atlanta Daily World, and the Cleveland Call and Post
America's Historical Imprints
Explore the nation’s past in unprecedented ways. Includes books, pamphlets, broadsides and other scarce printed material, centuries of American history, literature, culture, and daily life, and extensive indexing and full bibliographic…
American State Papers, 1789-1838
A rich source of primary material on many aspects of early American history, American State Papers, 1789-1838, features not only new bibliographic records for every one of its 6,354 publications, but also superior images created by…
Karen Valby | The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History
Featuring: Lydia Abarça, Sheila Rohan, Marcia Sells, Karlya Shelton, and Khadija Tariyan (daughter of Gayle McKinney Griffith) In conversation with Shelly Power, The Dr. Carolyn Newsom Executive Director, Philadelphia Ballet Karen Valby…
Bakari Sellers | The Moment: Thoughts on the Race Reckoning That Wasn't and How We All Can Move Forward Now
In 2006, Bakari Sellers defeated a twenty-six-year incumbent State Representative to become the youngest member of the South Carolina state legislature and the youngest African American elected official in the nation. The state’s 2014…
Tricia Rose | Metaracism: How Systemic Racism Devastates Black Lives—and How We Break Free
In conversation with award-winning journalist and broadcaster Tracey Matisak Acclaimed for her study of the intersections of pop music, contemporary Black U.S. culture, and sex and gender, sociologist Tricia Rose is the author of…
Stacey Abrams | Rogue Justice: A Thriller
In conversation with award-winning journalist and broadcaster, Tracey Matisak Introduced by State Rep. Donna Bullock Stacey Abrams is the Ronald W. Walters Endowed Chair for Race and Black Politics at Howard University. After serving…
M. Nzadi Keita | Migration Letters: Poems
In conversation with Herman Beavers M. Nzadi Keita is the author of the poetry collection Brief Evidence of Heaven , a finalist for the Phillis Wheatley Poetry Prize that explored the life of Anna Murray Douglass, Frederick Douglass’…
Tamron Hall | Watch Where They Hide: A Jordan Manning Novel
In conversation with Tamala Edwards, anchor, 6abc Action News morning edition. Tamron Hall is the Emmy Award-winning host and executive producer of the eponymous program Tamron Hall , ABC Disney’s second longest running nationally…
Morgan Parker | You Get What You Pay For: Essays
In conversation with Shantrelle Lewis Morgan Parker won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Magical Negro , a poetry collection that ponders the nuances of Black American womanhood. She is also the author of the young adult…
Laurence Ralph | Sito: An American Teenager and the City That Failed Him
In conversation with Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor In Sito , Laurence Ralph explores the murder of San Francisco teen Sito Quiñonez and his family’s long-reverberating grief and grace. Ralph, the stepfather of Sito’s half-brother, tells…
Marcus Anthony Hunter | Radical Reparations: Healing the Soul of a Nation
In conversation with Tamala Edwards, anchor, 6abc Action News morning edition. Co-promoted by the American Constitution Society The Scott Waugh Endowed Chair in the Social Sciences Division, Professor of Sociology & African American…
Maura Cheeks | Acts of Forgiveness: A Novel
In conversation with Zoe Sivak Maura Cheeks is the author of Acts of Forgiveness , a debut novel that imagines a contemporary moment in which our government has approved reparations for Black Americans—but only if they can prove they…
Phillip B. Williams | Ours: A Novel
In conversation with Airea D. Matthews Phillip B. Williams is the author of two acclaimed poetry collections, Thief in the Interior , which won the Kate Tufts Discovery Award and a Lambda Literary Award; and Mutiny , which was a…
Billy Dee Williams | What Have We Here?: Portraits of a Life
In conversation with award-winning journalist and broadcaster Tracey Matisak Screen icon Billy Dee Williams is perhaps best known for his role as Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars movies The Empire Strikes Back , Return of the Jedi ,…
Paul Alexander | Bitter Crop: The Heartache and Triumph of Billie Holiday’s Last Year
In conversation with award-winning journalist and broadcaster, Tracey Matisak Paul Alexander ’s bestselling and acclaimed biographies include portraits of James Dean, Sylvia Plath, John McCain, and J. D. Salinger, the last of which…
Shayla Lawson | How to Live Free in a Dangerous World: A Decolonial Memoir
In conversation with Jeannine Cook, owner of Harriett’s Bookshop and Ida’s Books Shayla Lawson is the author of This Is Major: Notes on Diana Ross, Dark Girls, and Being Dope , a “whip-smart” ( People ) essay collection about…
Ruha Benjamin | Imagination: A Manifesto
In conversation with Shantrelle Lewis Ruha Benjamin is the author of Race After Technology: Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code , a “galvanizing” and “inventive and wide-ranging” ( The Nation ) look at how new technologies…
Kiley Reid | Come and Get It
In conversation with Niela Orr A “hilarious, uncomfortable and compulsively readable story about race and class” ( TIME ), Kiley Reid ’s novel Such a Fun Age tells the story of a young Black babysitter and her well-intentioned but…
Raquel Willis | The Risk It Takes to Bloom: On Life and Liberation
In conversation with Ernest Owens A writer, activist, and media strategist dedicated to Black transgender liberation, Raquel Willis has served as director of communications for Ms. Foundation for Women, a national organizer for the…
Kimberlé Crenshaw | #SayHerName: Black Women’s Stories of Police Violence and Public Silence
In conversation with Dorothy Roberts One of the country’s foremost authorities in civil rights, Black feminist legal theory, race, and the law, Kimberlé Crenshaw is a law professor at UCLA and Columbia Law School, where in 1996 she…
Tanisha Ford | Our Secret Society: Mollie Moon and the Glamour, Money, and Power Behind the Civil Rights Movement
In conversation with Marc Lamont Hill Tanisha Ford ’s Our Secret Society is a biography of Mollie Moon, the socialite, powerbroker, and founder of the National Urban League Guild, who was a key fundraiser for the Civil Rights Movement.…
Ayana Mathis | The Unsettled: A Novel
In conversation with Asali Solomon Ayana Mathis is the author of The Twelve Tribes of Hattie , “a remarkable page-turner of a novel” ( Chicago Tribune ) that follows the harrowing fortunes of a 15-year-old from Georgia to Philadelphia…
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 Combahee River Collective Statement
A collective of Black feminists who have been meeting together since 1974. [1] During that time we have been involved in the process of defining and clarifying our politics, while at the same time doing political work within our own…
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…
Talking About Race
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture today launched Talking About Race, a new online portal designed to help individuals, families, and communities talk about racism, racial identity and the way these…
Project Ready’s Allies and Antiracism
A free online professional development curriculum by UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Information and Library Science, that helps to teach allyship.
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…
NAACP’s Criminal Justice Fact Sheet
Includes information on Incarceration Trends in America, Racial Disparities in Incarceration, Drug Sentencing Disparities, Effects of Incarceration, and Fair Chance Hiring.
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 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,…