About African American Research Library and Cultural Center

A Dream And A Vision

Samuel F. Morrison, former Broward County Library director, envisioned a state-of-the-art library dedicated to African American culture, research, lifelong learning, community gatherings, cultural events, and technology training. Hired in 1974, Morrison later became deputy director, moved to Chicago as chief librarian in 1987, and returned to Broward County three years later to transform the library system.

Inspired by Atlanta's Auburn Avenue Research Library, he sought to build a similar facility in Broward, focusing on African Diaspora cultures while embracing global contributions. Only two such libraries existed at the time: Auburn Avenue and New York City's Schomburg Center.

Funds earmarked in 1996 for a small branch library on Sistrunk Boulevard fell short of Morrison's vision. Approached in 1995, Broward County Commission pledged land and $5 million—$7 million less than the $14 million needed for the African American Research Library and Cultural Center.

Taking It To The Streets

Instead of being discouraged, Morrison was determined. The best plan of action, he felt, was to take the grassroots approach, involving the community in the drive to make this dream a reality. The race to raise the additional millions was on and fundraising efforts began.
 
By casting a wide net throughout the community, the fundraising committee for the African American Research Library and Cultural Center was able to gather donations from members of the corporate world, the church community, civic organizations, and individuals. Fraternities, sororities, and service clubs donated. A $1 million gift from businessman/philanthropist Wayne Huizenga helped upped the ante and encouraged other businesses to contribute. Fundraising events such as a benefit dinner/birthday party for Morrison were held, raising even more cash for the project's ever-growing coffers. Grants were applied for and won. The end of fundraising and the beginning of construction was now in sight. ​

Building The Bridge

With fundraising goals being met, the project moved into action. Contractors, architects and designers were selected, while a committee of local African American artists provided creative input. Nationally renowned designer Cecil Hayes was hired to create an Afro-centric interior, and Nigerian-born architect Emmanuel Nwadike’s firm, PAWA Complex International, was chosen to design the building.

Inspired by travels through Ghana and West Africa, the architects incorporated African art and imagery into the design, including Kente-inspired façade artwork, carved wooden figures and ornate elements.

Meanwhile, the library’s special collections continued to grow. Donations included actress Esther Rolle’s personal and professional archives, eight unfinished manuscripts and memorabilia from Alex Haley, and collections documenting Broward County’s African American pioneers, including the Council of Elders, Sixto Campano Sheet Music, and Dorothy Porter Wesley collections.

Breaking Ground

On October 23, 1999, the groundbreaking ceremony transformed a vacant four-acre site into the future home of the African American Research Library and Cultural Center. Hundreds gathered for music, drummers, dancers and a traditional Nigerian blessing, marking the beginning of a long-awaited dream.

Although construction was underway, another $2.5 million was needed for furniture, equipment, collections and an endowment. Eighteen months later, after design revisions and additional fundraising, construction finally began in April 2001.

Meanwhile, AARLCC’s first director, Arglenda Friday, resigned. Julie V. Hunter, former director of Atlanta’s Auburn Avenue Research Library, was selected to lead the new library.

The Dream Realized

Finally, on October 26, 2002, after almost six years of planning and dreaming, the African American Research Library and Cultural Center celebrated its dedication and grand opening. The ceremony featured a procession of Ghanaian chiefs and elders, speeches by various elected officials, including U.S. Congressman John Lewis of District 5 in Georgia and U.S. Representative Alcee L. Hastings of District 23 in Florida, guest speaker Lerone Bennett Jr., executive editor of Ebony magazine, and performances by Florida Memorial College Steel Pan Band and the Ebohon International Theatre Troupe.
 
Since its opening, AARLCC has become an integral part of the community, offering classes in computer technology and educational, recreational, and cultural programs on a regular basis. AARLCC has displayed over 38 major exhibits and offered 184 cultural programs to over 895,000 customers, celebrities, noted authors and international speakers who have made AARLCC a thriving center, a vital component of our community. ​

The artwork and artifacts collection consists largely of African masks and sculptures, Haitian and Jamaican paintings, and an assortment of art pieces and graphic prints from African American artists. The collection also contains a significant poster collection, historical prints, illustrations, cloth art, ivory, bronze and wooden carved objects, and African and Afro-Cuban musical instruments.

This awe-inspiring collection of artwork and artifacts was created from donations by African art collectors Arthur B. Steinman and MarySue and Dr. Paul Peter Rosen, award-winning African American artists Charles Mills and Jonathan Green, illustrators Ashley Bryan, Kadir Nelson and Jerry Pinkney, Jamaican artist Errol “Elgo” Lewis, Haitian and African art collectors John H. and Vivian D. Hewitt, aviator Barrington Irving, and prominent individuals such as Samuel F. Morrison, Dorris Avner and Dr. Nina Woods-Charles.

Daniel M. Johnson Collection contains more than 5,600 books. Most are first print editions signed by the author and include accompanying materials such as news clippings, program flyers, written correspondence and photographs. Of special note is the extensive collection of books on the history of ancient Egypt, Nubia and West African kingdoms. African American literature of the “New Negro” era is another b component of this book collection.

Dorothy Porter Wesley Collection provides scholars with more than 2,000 books to conduct research on African-Brazilian history and culture, the history of early African American families, w​omen and gender studies and historically black social organizations and publishers.
Jack Abramowitz Collection concentrates on the history of African Americans in the southern United States primarily during the slavery and reconstruction eras.

Frederic Gomes Cassidy Collection focuses on the history and culture of the Caribbean islands with a b emphasis on Jamaica.

Charles Mills Collection provides an outstanding collection of books relating to the art and music of the Harlem Renaissance cultural movement during the 1920s and 1930s. Accompanying this collection are jazz music recordings on CDs, audiocassettes and record albums.

Black Heritage Library Collection contains more than 300 volumes selected from the collection of slave narratives, biographies, literature and historical texts originally collected as part of the Negro Collection at Fisk University Library.​

Black Broward Oral History Collection contains audio-visual interviews documenting the African American community in Broward County, Florida. The collection was created by the African American Research Library and Cultural Center’s (AARLCC) Special Collections and Archives department to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of the African American Research Library and Cultural Center.The collection documents the histories of administrators, donors, and library staff who have had an impact on the founding and everyday operations of AARLCC. Other oral histories include those of individuals who are avid supporters of AARLCC and have used its resources. Oral history interviews include discussion on historical black neighborhoods, institutions, groups and individuals who have made economic, political and cultural contributions to Broward County, Florida. Interviews include subjects such as Mary Barner, Julie Hunter, Samuel F. Morrison, George Gadsen, Emmanuel George, Samuel Woods, among others.
 

• ​View Black Broward Oral History Archive​
   

Kitty Oliver Oral Histories contain more than 100 interviews of individuals discussing race and ethnic relations in Broward and Palm Beach counties during the 1960s and 1970s, the New River community, the historical community of Liberia and women in Ghana. Printed transcripts, photographs and videos of narrators are also included. 
 

• View Kitty Oliver Archive 

Love-Thornell Collection of Black American Photographs contains over 1300 photographs including cabinet cards, tintypes, daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, stereo-views, cartes de visite, and postcards documenting African American life from the 1850s-1950. The collection was collected over a 15-year period by Jaquelyn Love-Thornell.
 

• ​View Love-Thornell Collection of Black American Photographs Digital Archive​
   

​Reverend Clinton Mack Photographs Collection contains more than 300 images of African Americans living in Pompano Beach, Florida circa 1930s and 1940s. Slides of the Sistrunk Corridor provides more than 1,000 images depicting various cultural celebrations including the Sistrunk festivals and programs held at the Mizell Library. 

• ​​​View Reverend Clinton Mack Photographs Digital Archive
   

​​Society of African Missions Postcards Collection contains 600 postcards depicting images of missionary works and native social life and customs in Sub-Saharan Africa spanning from the late 1800s to the early 1950s. 

• View Society of African Missions Postcards Digital Archive