The Schomburg Center's Manuscripts, Archives, and Rare Books Division
The Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture provides access to primary source materials created by and about Black people. This page will highlight collections and rare books created during the Harlem Renaissance.
Personal Papers
Arthur Alfonso Schomburg
Arthur Alfonso Schomburg papers 1724- 1939 Sc Micro R-2798
Arthur Schomburg Papers additions SC MG 952
Artur Schomburg Collection SC MG 41
Arturo (Arthur) Schomburg Research Guide
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Portrait of Arthur Alfonso Schomburg, bibliophile" New York Public Library Digital Collections.
Augusta Savage
Augusta Savage Papers SC MG 731
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Augusta Savage with her sculpture "Realization"" New York Public Library Digital Collections.
Claude McKay
Claude McKay Letters and Manuscripts SC MG 19 / Sc Micro R-1233
Claude McKay Collection (Additions) SC MG 623
Claude McKay Research Collection SC MG 750
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Jean Blackwell Hutson Research and Reference Division, The New York Public Library. "Claude McKay." New York Public Library Digital Collections.
Fredi Washington
Fredi Washington Papers Sc Micro R-5002
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Publicity portrait of Fredi Washington for the play "Mamba's Daughters" New York Public Library Digital Collections.
Gwendolyn Bennett
Gwendolyn Bennet Papers SC MG 77/ Sc Micro R-4846
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Gwendolyn Bennett" New York Public Library Digital Collections.
Regina Andrews
Regina Andrews Papers SC MG 275
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Portrait of Regina Andrews" New York Public Library Digital Collections.
Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes collection SC Micro-977
Langston Hughes collection : additions SC MG 129
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Portrait of writer Langston Hughes with his typewriter" New York Public Library Digital Collections.
Paul Robeson
Paul Robeson collection: Sc MG 170; Sc Micro R-5956
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Paul Robeson, accompanied by pianist Lawrence Brown, in Moscow, Soviet Union" New York Public Library Digital Collections.
Schuyler family papers
Schuyler family papers Sc MG 63; MssCol 21140
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Philippa, Josephine and George Schuyler at home, playing dominoes, circa mid-1940s." New York Public Library Digital Collections.
Rare Periodicals
The following Black Periodicals were written and created during the Harlem Renaissance and have volumes available to view in the reading room.
The Crisis: A Record of the Darker Races
Fire!!: Devoted to younger Negro Artists
Harlem, Mecca of the New Negro
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Jean Blackwell Hutson Research and Reference Division, The New York Public Library. "Invincible music. The spirit of Africa" New York Public Library Digital Collections.
Archival Materials in MARB
135th St. Branch records, 1905-1951
Aaron Douglas papers, 1924-1939
Arthur A. Schomburg papers, 1724-1939
Aubrey Howard Bowser papers, 1885-1943
Augusta Savage papers, 1926-1987
Claude McKay collection: additions, 1912-1953
Claude McKay letters and Manuscripts, 1915-1952
Floyd Snelson scrapbook, 1929-1930
Fredi Washington papers, 1922-1981
Helene Johnson poems, 1972-1979
J. R. Ralph Casimir papers, 1919-1981
Langston Hughes collection: additions, 1929-1967
Regina Andrews Papers, 1901-1987
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture records, 1924-1979
Schuyler Family papers, 1915-1977 (George Schuyler)
Sister Mary Margaret Countee Cullen research materials, 1952-1961
Voices of the Renaissance collection, 1974-1977
Some times, looking at a specific copy of a text can provide surprising and interesting insight to the life of the person who owned the book. In the case of the Schomburg Center, several of the books written and acquired during the Harlem Renaissance were given directly to Arturo Schomburg, who was well acquainted with the authors. Below are a few examples of texts that were personalized for Schomburg.
The New Negro by Call Number: Sc Rare 810.8-L (copy 2)ISBN: 9780684838311Publication Date: 1999-03-01
"To my dear friend, Arthur A. Schomburg, valued collaborator in this and other projects, Alain Leroy Locke. December 3, 19[25]
- The ballad of the brown girl : an old ballad retold byCall Number: Sc Rare 811-C (Cullen, C. Ballad of the brown girl)Publication Date: 1927
"For Arthur A. Schomburg, with deep appreciation of his zeal in the interest of Negro writers and Negro books. Sincerely, Countee Cullen."
"To Arthur A. Schomburg. For my good friend and co-worker in the bringing of Negro literature to the world's attention. With sincere regards, James Weldon Johnson. Sept. 9, 1935."
- Jupiter Hammon, American Negro poet : selections from his writings and a bibliography byCall Number: Sc 811 (Hammon)-W (Wegelin, O. Jupiter Hammon)Publication Date: 1915
"I write this after a very pleasant and profitable visit to the Schomburg Collection of Material relating to the Negro and his achievements in Literature and History. Aug. 7. 1934. Oscar Wegelin."
Tropic Death by Call Number: Sc Rare Fic-W (Walrond, E. Tropic death)ISBN: 9780871406859Publication Date: 2013-09-23
"For Arthur Schomburg, to whom every Negro writer is exceedingly indebted Eric Walrond. Sept. 21, 1926."