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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 Center by Barrye Brown

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

Female librarian showing a young girl a library book

Librarian Augusta Baker showing a copy of Ellen Tarry's "Janie Belle" to a young girl at the library

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Librarian Augusta Baker showing a copy of Ellen Tarry's "Janie Belle" to a young girl at the library" New York Public Library Digital Collection

Librarian Jean Blackwell Hutson and writer Langston Hughes talking with each other in front of a statue bust

Jean Blackwell Hutson, Curator of the Schomburg Collection, and writer Langston Hughes at the Schomburg Collection in Harlem

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Jean Blackwell Hutson, Curator of the Schomburg Collection, and writer Langston Hughes at the Schomburg Collection in Harlem" New York Public Library Digital Collections. 

various researchers seated at multiple desks conducting research

View of researchers using the Schomburg Collection, when it was the 135th Street Branch Library Division of Negro Literature, History and Prints, as it looked in 1938, with Catherine A. Latimer, Reference Librarian of the collection, in left background.

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "View of researchers using the Schomburg Collection, when it was the 135th Street Branch Library Division of Negro Literature, History and Prints, as it looked in 1938, with Catherine A. Latimer, reference librarian of the collection, in left background." New York Public Library Digital Collections.

Librarian Regina Andrews (seated) with librarian Edna Law (standing)

Librarian Regina Andrews (seated) with librarian Edna Law

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Photographs and Prints Division, The New York Public Library. "Regina Andrews (seated) with librarian Edna Law" New York Public Library 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.)