Schomburg Clipping File Research Guide: Home

The Schomburg Clipping File is a unique resource that contains clippings about individuals, groups, organizations, etc. related to the African diaspora that were collected by the staff at the 135th St. Library, which later became the Schomburg Center For Research in Black Culture. As early as the 1920s, Catherine Latimer, the first Black librarian to be hired by the NYPL and worked at the 135th St. Library, began collecting clippings. This practice continued through the early 2000s. The clippings were sourced from printed material including newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, broadsides, and leaflets, and kept in vertical files.

Parts I and II of the clipping files are only available on microfiche. The clipping files from Part III are available in their original format. The clipping files may be accessed in the Jean Blackwell Hutson Research and Reference Division. Select research libraries also carry the Schomburg Clipping File Part I, 1925-1974 and Schomburg Clipping File Collection Part II, 1975-1988. More info about Part III of the clipping files can be found under the "How to Use" tab. 

This LibGuide includes a general introduction to the clipping files, instructions on accessing the files and a description of the three different parts of this collection. It also includes an up-close look at the range of clippings that can be found in this collection which you may view by selecting the "Up Close" tab.