Harlem's Schomburg Center Designated National Historic Landmark

HARLEM, NY — The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture was one of 24 buildings designated a national historic landmark Wednesday by the Department of Interior. The designation will place the Shomburg Center on the National Register of Historic Places.

"The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York City represents the idea of the African Diaspora, a revolutionizing model for studying the history and culture of people of African descent that used a global, transnational perspective," a statement from the Interior Department read.

The center is named after Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, but originally was called the Division of Negro Literature, History and Prints when it opened in 1925, according to the New York Public Library. In 1926 Schomburg, a Puerto Rican-born black scholar, donated his personal collection of thousands of books, manuscripts, artworks and pamphlets to the division. Schomburg also served as the curator of the division from 1932 until his death in 1938, according to the public library.

The division was named after Schomburg in 1940 and joined the New York Public Library system in 1972 as a research library. Today the center — located on Malcolm X Boulevard between West 135th and 136th streets — is one of the world's leaders in the research and preservation of materials from the African diaspora.

"The Schomburg Center's being named a National Historic Landmark is a great honor that comes nearly 92 years to the day we opened as a collection to the public in 1925, and as we prepare to reopen our landmark building this spring," Kevin Young, director of the Schomburg Center, told Patch. "We are delighted at this recognition of Arturo Schomburg’s vision to have the world of black culture, and black culture the world over, preserved and made accessible for study and thoughtful contemplation. This honor will ensure future generations' awareness of and access to the Schomburg and its many treasures for centuries to come."

Photo by Jim.henderson via Wikimedia Commons