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A Research Guide to Black Librarianship at the Schomburg Center: Photographs & Prints Division

A Research Guide to Black Librarianship at the Schomburg Cente

Photographs and Prints Division

The Photographs and Prints Division contains both documentary and fine art photographs, which document the history and culture of people of African descent worldwide as well as the work of photographers of African descent. The collection of over 300,000 images ranges from mid-eighteenth-century graphics to contemporary documentary and art photography. All of the major photographic processes are represented. For more information, visit the Photographs and Prints Division page or contact the division by email at schomburgphotography@nypl.org.  

NYPL Digital Collections

Additional photo collections

Libraries

Collection depicts libraries and library services to African Americans, mainly in New York City, from the 1930s to the 1980s with the bulk of the collection dating from the 1950s to the 1980s. 

North Manhattan Project Photograph Collection

The North Manhattan Project began in 1965 with city, state and federal funding and was created to show the impact that enriched library services could have on a disadvantage community. The project emphasized increased book collections, meaningful programs and events, and training opportunities. Later the name changed to the Central Harlem Project to reflect its expansion to the area served by five other branch libraries in Harlem.

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Photograph Collection (please contact the division for more information on accessing this collection.)

New York Black Librarians Caucus Scrapbook (please contact the division for more information on accessing this collection.)