The Schomburg Collection

Because i'm an avid first edition book collector, I thought a nice framed poster about books (and african american themed at that!) would compliment my library. So...I bid on a poster on eBay.com and won it. As I examined the poster...I see a reference to The Schomburg Collection of the New York Public Library. I've heard this referenced before, but I never knew anything about the Schomburg Collection.

So...I go to my favorite website...Wikipedia and viola!

Arturo Alfonso Schomburg also known as Arthur Schomburg (January 24, 1874-June 8, 1938) born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was a historian, writer and activist, known as "The Father of Black History." Schomburg had amassed a world renowned collection which consisted of artworks, manuscripts, rare books, slave narratives and other remnants of Black history. So impressed was the New York Public Library with Schomburg's collection that the Carnegie Corporation purchased it from him for $10,000 to form the cornerstone of the Library's Division of Negro History at the 135th Street Branch in Harlem. The proceeds from the sale were used to fund travel to Spain, France, Germany and England, to seek out other pieces of black history to further add to the collection. (Wikipedia.com)

On my next visit to New York...I will be visiting the New York Public Library.

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