The Schomburg Center is a Finalist for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service!

The National Medal for Museum and Library Service is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in recognition of exceptional service to the community and for making a difference in the lives of individuals, families, and communities. We are excited to announce that the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture has been named as a finalist for the 2015 National Medal award!

This year’s finalists include individual public libraries, special and research libraries, a zoo, science museums, botanical gardens, and many other types of institutions that exemplify the great diversity of libraries and museums across the country.

This honor recognizes the contributions of our programs such as Malcolm X on the World Scene: A Special 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Assassination of Malcolm X and From Dapper to Dope: The Exquisite and Enduring Style of Harlem Men to New York City. We are grateful for your support and are honored to be recognized as a 2015 finalist!

The National Medal winners will be named later this spring, and representatives from winning institutions will travel to Washington, D.C., to be honored at the National Medal award ceremony. Winning institutions also receive a visit from StoryCorps, a national non-profit organization dedicated to recording, preserving, and sharing the stories of Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs.

In acknowledgement of the National Medal’s celebration of institutions that are committed to community service, IMLS will feature the finalists on social media platforms and provide an opportunity for you to Share Your Story of how the Schomburg Center has impacted your life on the their Facebook page (please remember that you must first “like” the IMLS Facebook page in order to post comments). In addition, we encourage you to post pictures or comments for Share Your Story on Twitter using #NationalMedal.

We look forward to reading your stories. Now let's bring the National Medal home to New York City and the Schomburg Center!