The Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division collects, preserves, and makes available for research purposes rare, unique, and primary materials that document the history and culture of people of African descent throughout the world, with a concentration on the Americas and the Caribbean. On this page researchers will find collections and rare books related to the African American Women Writers of the 19th century featured in this guide and on other notable women of that time, who were authoring and contributing to African American history and the black experience.