The New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, marking the milestone with a new exhibit that highlights its history.
Although May 8 marked the official 100th anniversary, the museum will hold a year-long celebration for its centennial launch. Scheduled to run until June 30th this month, the exhibit, titled “100: A Century of Collections, Community, and Creativity,” will have the Schomburg Center’s collections on display, celebrating the librarians, curators and educators who helped build the collection.
The exhibit will be complemented by an audio guide that chronicles how the center became known for its role as a caretaker of Black history. Items on display include a personal inscription by the acclaimed writer Zora Neale Hurston, paintings by artist Aaron Douglas and prints of historic photographs from the Harlem Renaissance.
Tomorrow, the Center will also hold a day-long Centennial Festival celebrating the African Diaspora. Authors and creators such as Roxane Gay, David Crownson, Mani Perry, Ibi Zoboi, Kiese Laymon, and Chukwuebuka Ibeh are set to take part.
“100 celebrates the story of the Schomburg Center’s storied collections, which today number in the millions, and continue to inspire learners, seekers, and creators. 100 celebrates a century of committed collecting and dedicated stewardship by generations of Schomburg Center librarians, curators, and educators who have nurtured the creation of new knowledge,” said the center in an official release. “100 celebrates the historic legacy of this singular institution as we stand on the cusp of our new century.”
In 1925, the Schomburg Center was established on Malcolm X Boulevard following a series of annual events dedicated to celebrating Black art in Harlem. The exhibits marked increased requests for the work of Black creatives, particularly in regard to literature.
Afro-Puerto Rican scholar Arturo Alfonso Schomburg helped add to the initial collection by donating nearly 5,000 objects from his personal collection to the center. He agreed to sell his donation of Black literature to the Carnegie Foundation for $10,000, which would be used to support the center, ensuring the collection remained available to the public while still staying in Harlem. In 1932, Schomburg eventually became the first curator until his death in 1938.
Since its conception, the center has expanded to house at least 10 million objects. Their collection includes first-print editions of books by Phillis Wheatley, files of the Civil Rights Congress, manuscripts both published and unpublished by Langston Hughes and papers from Booker T. Washington.
The Schomburg Center also houses a rare recording of a speech by Marcus Garvey.
