In recognition of Black History Month, the AIA New Jersey Equity in Architecture Committee invites members to explore The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, one of the world’s most significant cultural and research institutions.
Located in the heart of Harlem, the Schomburg Center is a renowned research library of The New York Public Library and a National Historic Landmark. Founded in 1925, the Center is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Its mission is devoted to the research, preservation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diasporic, and African experiences.
The Center stewards an extraordinary collection of more than 11 million items, including manuscripts, rare books, photographs, artworks, and multimedia resources that illuminate the global Black experience across history, arts, culture, and social movements.
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Boulevard (at 135th Street)
New York, NY 10037
Founded in 1925 and named a National Historic Landmark in 2017, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is one of the world’s leading cultural institutions devoted to the research, preservation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diaspora, and African experiences. As a research center of The New York Public Library, the Schomburg Center features diverse programming and collections spanning over 11 million items that illuminate the richness of global black history, arts, and culture.
About the landmark building:
In Harlem, the former West 135th Street Branch Library—built in 1904 by McKim, Mead & White—evolved from a Carnegie-funded public library into a cornerstone of Black cultural life. During the Harlem Renaissance, it became a gathering place for Black intellectuals, and in 1925, Arturo Alfonso Schomburg’s vast collection of African diaspora materials laid the foundation for what is now the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Expanded in 1973 and again in 1991, the Center now houses over 11 million items and continues to inspire through exhibitions, performances, and programs. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 2017, it remains a vital institution for preserving and celebrating Black history.
Learn more HERE.
Established with the collections of Arturo Alfonso Schomburg nearly a century ago, the Schomburg has collected, preserved, and provided access to materials documenting Black life in America and worldwide. It has also promoted the study and interpretation of the history and culture of people of African descent. In 2015, the Schomburg won the National Medal for Museum and Library Service and in January 2017, the Schomburg Center was named a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service, recognizing its vast collection of materials that represent the history and culture of people of African descent through a global, transnational perspective. Today, the Schomburg continues to serve the community not just as a center and a library, but also as a space that encourages lifelong education and exploration.