One of the missions of a library is to collect materials that speak to a certain ethos. For the John Henrik Clarke Africana Library, this mission is to provide a specialized collection concentrating on the history, culture, and social and political dimensions of peoples of African descent. The library can do this in several different […]
History is a Clock
Pieces of Ithaca: A Celebration of Quilting in the Ithaca Community
March 24, 2023Andrea Campbell Gibbs excitement about the West African adinkra symbol shows by the glint in her eyes as she describes why she focuses on this African symbol in her quilt making. West African adinkra symbols, which represent important life events, proverbs, and cultural attitudes, take center stage in the quilts loaned by Andrea […]
Library in the Life of Black People
August 9, 2022The staff at the John Henrik Clarke Africana Library mourns the passing of Dr. James E. Turner, who joined the ancestors on August 6, 2022. Dr. Turner founded the Africana Studies and Research Center in the fall of 1969. With the founding of the Center, he also created the Africana Library and played […]
John Henrik Clarke and COVID-19
August 15, 2020“History is a clock that people use to tell their political and cultural time of day, it is also a compass people use to find themselves on the map of human geography. History tells a people where they have been, what they have been, where they are and what they are. Most importantly history tells […]
The John Henrik Clarke Africana Library as an Agent of Change
June 1, 2020In January of 1973, the founding director of the Africana Studies and Research Center (ASRC) at Cornell University, Dr. James Turner, wrote an essay titled, “Library in the Life of Black People.” He directly connected the success of an academic institution to the quality of its faculty and library. He wrote, “The library is an […]
The Sistahs
March 9, 2020The Sistahs Top: Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, Condoleezza Rice, Maxine Waters, Jessie Redmon Fauset, Gwendolyn Brooks Middle: Sojourner Truth, Madame C. J. Walker, Michelle Obama, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Maya Angelou Bottom: Toni Morrison, Fanny Lou Hamer, Mae Jemison, Shirley Chisholm, Angela Davis, Harriet Tubman. In the United States the month of March is recognized […]
Black History is More Than a Month
February 3, 2020Kofi Acree: A few years ago, I did a Black History Month presentation for 5 and 12 year old children at the Greater Ithaca Activity Center (GIAC) in Ithaca, N.Y. In part, I wanted to share my passion for history and show the kids how important it is for them to learn about the past. […]