African-American Research Library and Cultural Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids African-American Research Library and Cultural Center |
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| African-American Research Library and Cultural Center | |
| Country | United States |
| Established | October 26, 2002 |
| Location | Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| Coordinates | 26°07′45″N 80°10′33″W / 26.129045955644468°N 80.17575790270564°W |
| Branch of | Broward County Library |
The African-American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC) is a special library in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It is part of the Broward County Library system. This important center opened its doors on October 26, 2002. It helps people learn about African, African-American, and Caribbean history and culture.
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The Library Building
The AARLCC is a very large building, about 60,000 square feet. That's like the size of more than 10 basketball courts! Inside, it has a big auditorium with 300 seats. There's also a large art gallery that is 5,000 square feet. The library also has a special area called the Small Business Resource Center. Since it opened, the center has shown over 38 major art exhibits. It has also welcomed more than 895,000 visitors. It is the sixth-largest library in the Broward County Library System. It is also one of only three libraries of its kind in the entire nation.
How the Library Started
The idea for this special library came from Samuel F. Morrison. He was the director of the Broward County Libraries Division. He visited another library called the Auburn Avenue Research Library. This visit inspired him to create a library focused on African-American culture. At that time, only two such libraries existed in the U.S. One was the Auburn Avenue library. The other was the Schomburg Center in New York City. Mr. Morrison was determined to build a similar library in the African-American community. He wanted to use county funds to make it happen.
Getting Money for the Library
Between 1990 and 1995, Mr. Morrison talked a lot with county officials. He worked hard to get the library built. Money had already been saved to replace a smaller library nearby. The Broward County Commission gave the land for the new library. They also provided $5 million to start. But Mr. Morrison had a bigger dream. He wanted a much larger library and research center. He needed an extra $7 million to make his vision come true.
Most of the extra money came from fundraising. A grant of $600,000 was given by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Other groups and generous people matched this money. These included the Sun-Sentinel newspaper and Blockbuster Entertainment Group. Dianne and Michael Bienes also helped. The Links donated $50,000. Publix Charities gave $250,000. Businessman Wayne Huizenga donated a big amount: $1 million. Many churches, clubs, and other groups also helped raise funds.
Building the Library
The official groundbreaking ceremony happened on October 23, 1999. After more fundraising, construction began in April 2001. PAWA Complex International designed the building. This was the largest African-American-owned architectural company in Florida. Cecil Hayes designed the inside of the building. He was the first African American listed in the Architectural Digest top 100. Gary Moore was the artistic designer. Mr. Morrison shared that over half of the construction work was done by African-American companies. The AARLCC was finished and opened to the public on October 26, 2002.
Special Collections
The African American Research Library has over one million special items. These include rare books, artifacts, artwork, and old papers. They all focus on the history and culture of people from Africa, African-America, and the Caribbean. You can even see 20 African artifacts from the library's collection in 3D! This is possible using Augmented reality (AR) through the Virtual AARLCC project. This project helps more people see the library's unique items.
- Alex Haley Collection – This collection has the writings of Alex Haley. He wrote the famous book "Roots." It also includes photos from the "Roots" TV show. There are also pictures of West Africa and eight unfinished writings by Haley. Some parts of this collection are online on the Broward County Library website.
- Daniel Johnson Collection – This collection has over 5,000 items. They are about African-American, Caribbean, and African books and papers. They cover many topics like slavery, civil rights, sports, and art.
- Dorothy Porter Wesley Collection – This collection has items about art, history, and women's studies. All items are related to Africans in the United States.
- Sixto Compano Collection – This collection has 1,000 pieces of sheet music. They date from the mid-1800s to World War II. They show the history of African-Americans in theater.
- Kitty Oliver Oral Histories – This collection has written stories, photos, and videos. They come from over 100 interviews. People talk about race relations in Broward and Palm Beach Counties during the 1960s and 1970s. Some parts of this collection are online.
- Hewitt Haitian Art Collection – This is one of the largest collections at the AARLCC. It has many pieces of art from Haiti. It is known as one of the most important collections of Haitian art in the country.
- Coretta Scott King Award and Honor Book Collection — These books are by African-American authors and illustrators. They show positive stories about the Black experience for children and young adults. These books have won or been honored by the Coretta Scott King Award.
Exhibits and Programs
In 2012, the AARLCC celebrated 10 years of the Ashley Bryan Art series. Dr. Henrietta M. Smith, a professor, worked with artist Ashley Bryan to start this series. It began with Ashley Bryan giving eight original art pieces to the library. These pieces became the start of the art collection. The series brings authors and illustrators who have won the Coretta Scott King Award to the library. Their work shows African culture. This series has had a lasting impact on the community. It brings children and families to the library. It also helps young people connect with children's book art.
The Ashley Bryan Project
The Ashley Bryan Project started in the spring of 2021. It is a resource about great children's books and art by authors and illustrators of African descent. This project is helpful for students, parents, and art lovers. It comes from the work of author and illustrator Ashley Bryan and Dr. Henrietta Smith. It was funded by a grant that helps create useful library resources. The project includes 15 authors and illustrators who have won the Coretta Scott King Book Award. Some of these are Kadir Nelson, Javaka Steptoe, and Laura Freeman. The Ashley Bryan Project Resource Guide has a list of books to read. It also has digital images of original children's book art. There are also themed book lists and information about careers in the arts. It even tells you how to become a published author or illustrator.
