Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, one of The New York Public Library’s renowned research libraries, is a world-leading cultural institution devoted to the research, preservation, and exhibition of materials focused on African American, African Diaspora, and African experiences.

To learn about the Center’s research divisions, schedule an appointment, or find out about other services, see our resources for researchers. Please note: Division hours may vary.

Explore our exhibitions Been Seen and Boundless: 10 Years of Seeding Black Comic Futures. Both are open 10 AM—5:30 PM, Monday to Saturday.

The Schomburg Shop sells clothing, jewelry, books, and more for all ages. Items are created by Black and Brown artists. The Shop is open Tuesday to Saturday 11 AM—5:45 PM.

Though there are no guided tours at this time, we are working diligently to restore this key service to visitors in spring 2023. Please continue to check this page and the Schomburg Tours page for updates and more information.

Masks are strongly recommended in the Schomburg Center and all NYPL locations. 

The Schomburg Society invites you to celebrate the launch of the biography Saxophone Colossus: The Life and Music of Sonny Rollins by scholar Aidan Levy on Tuesday, December 6 at 7 PM. Acclaimed saxophonist and composer James Brandon Lewis will perform. A book signing follows the program.

“Player for player, there’s no better working band in jazz” (The Boston Globe). On Monday, December 12 at 7 PM, join us for an evening of music with Carnegie Hall Citywide and the legendary jazz supergroup, The Cookers. Learn more.

Curious about which Schomburg Center blog posts, online programs, and research guides were the most-viewed of 2022? The list includes book picks inspired by a popular television show, a conversation about historic court records thought lost for nearly two centuries, and a research guide—also known as a LibGuide—highlighting some of the most prolific Black women writers of the 19th century.

As the year comes to a close, explore the top two of 2022 in each category. Learn more.

The Lapidus Center for the Historical Analysis of Transatlantic Slavery at the Schomburg Center is pleased to announce the opening of the competition for the 2023 Harriet Tubman Prize. The prize awards $7,500 to the best nonfiction book published in the U.S. on the slave trade, slavery, and anti-slavery in the Atlantic World. The postmark deadline for nominating titles is Saturday, December 31, 2022.

Plus, the online applications are open to apply for short and long-term fellowships. Researchers studying the slave trade, slavery, and anti-slavery in the Atlantic World are eligible to apply. The deadline is Monday, January 9, 2023. Learn more.