Caribbean American Heritage Month
The New York Public Library is celebrating Caribbean American Heritage Month throughout June. Discover reading recommendations, resources, and events for all ages—all month long.
Free Events
Explore our array of events for all ages celebrating Caribbean American Heritage Month, including book discussions, arts and crafts, and much more.
Celebrating 100 Years of the Schomburg Center
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture! Founded on the collections of scholar and bibliophile Arturo Schomburg, who had Afro-Puerto Rican and St. Croix roots, the Center has evolved into a world-renowned research library that bears Schomburg’s name and now stewards a collection of more than 11 million items, including African diasporic history across the Caribbean.
Join us all year long for a wide array of special events, exhibitions, and more as we continue the legacy of Arturo Schomburg.
¡Wepa!: Puerto Ricans in the World of Comics | ¡Wepa! Puertorriqueños en el mundo de cómics
Opens October 2025 | Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Save the date for a special exhibition this fall. Wepa! Puerto Ricans in the World of Comics draws on the expansive collections of Puerto Rican librarian Manuel Martínez Nazario, now housed at NYPL, to explore aspects of Puerto Rican life and culture as expressed through comic books.
Reserva la fecha para una exposición especial este otoño. '¡Wepa! Puertorriqueños en el mundo de cómics' se basa en las extensas colecciones del bibliotecario puertorriqueño Manuel Martínez Nazario, ahora albergadas en la NYPL, para explorar aspectos de la vida y cultura puertorriqueña a través de los cómics.
Tastes of Home: Cookbooks of the Caribbean
Explore cookbooks that showcase the diverse and delicious foods of the Caribbean!
More Recommended Reads
Explore more reading recommendations, selected by our expert librarians and library staff, in celebration of Caribbean American Heritage Month!
- Celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month Through Stories
- Exploring the Caribbean American Experience With Books for Kids & Teens
- Voices of the Dominican Republic and Diaspora: Novels, Poetry, Stories, & Memoir
- Spotlight on Jamaican Voices in Novels, Poetry, Stories & Memoir
- Books to Celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month
- Celebrating Haiti: Books by Haitian & Haitian American Authors
- World Literature Festival: Selected Books from the English-Speaking Caribbean
Explore the Library’s Treasures
The Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library’s Treasures showcases some of the most extraordinary items from the 56 million in our collections. Free to experience at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building and online, it includes a sonnet by Dominican American author Julia Alvarez, an issue of Puerto Rican gay liberation magazine Pa’fuera!, and an illustrated alphabet book of Puerto Rican terms.
Plus, explore the exhibit in Spanish, French, Haitian Creole, Jamaican Patois, Dutch, and many other languages with the digital guide on the Bloomberg Connects app, available via automated translation.
Illustrations © Antonio Martorell.
Caribbean Beats: Celebrating the Islands' Musical Heritage
Explore the vibrant rhythms of the Caribbean through books about artists who have made a significant impact on the world stage, as well as those who have produced hits behind the scenes. Plus, check out CDs from iconic artists that continue shaping the Caribbean-American soundscape today.
Online Resources for Researching the Caribbean
Research Caribbean history, culture, and more with these digital research books and online databases, compiled by expert library staff.
Historical Maps & Newspapers of the Caribbean
Explore some of the oldest Caribbean maps in the Library’s digital collections, dating back as far as 1556, as well as historical newspapers documenting Caribbean life across 22 countries during the 18th and 19th centuries.
From the Digital Collections
Delve into the Library’s collections and learn about Caribbean history and culture through prints, photographs, postcards, rare manuscripts, and much more!
Honoring Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte’s legacy lives on at The New York Public Library through the Harlem branch that bears his name and a rich archival collection! Learn about the Harry Belafonte 115th Street Library and book a free research appointment to explore personal papers, manuscripts, photographs, and more about the beloved Caribbean American activist, singer, and actor at The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
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