Black Resource Center
Location & Hours
A C Bilbrew Library
150 E. El Segundo Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90061
310.538.0059
Black Resource Center Librarian
Sharol Caw
What is the Black Resource Center?
The Black Resource Center (BRC) was established as a special service of LA County Library in 1978 to serve the informational and educational needs of African Americans and the larger population by supporting research and study on social, historical and cultural aspects unique to the African American experience.
The Center serves as an information and referral agency to other libraries, government agencies and the general public. It is an important link in the survival and preservation of the heritage of African Americans. The Black Resource Center provides many services and activities that include:
- In-depth reference service to specialized researchers and to the general public
- Cultural awareness programs such as Juneteenth, Kwanzaa and Black History Month celebrations
- Promotional materials and displays for programs and activities in support of African American heritage and multiculturalism
- Community outreach and networking with other organizations and institutions
Upcoming Programs
What is in the Black Resource Center Collection?
The Black Resource Center selects and collects specialized materials by and about African Americans, the African American experience and the African Diaspora.
- Core Collection:
- Books, magazines, scholarly journals, newspapers, theses, dissertations, government publications, microform, audiovisual materials in various formats, and posters
- The Black Musical Artist Collection
- Pamphlets, newspaper clippings and photographs
- Documents and papers on microform include Slave Narratives, Papers of the NAACP, National Archive Slave Schedules, and other historical materials.
- Local and national newspaper archives on microform include such titles as the Los Angeles Sentinel, Compton Bulletin, California Eagle, Chicago Defender, New York Amsterdam News, Afro-American (Baltimore), Muslim Journal, Pittsburgh Courier and hundreds of other titles.
- African American Living Legends Series – The “African American Living Legends” Series honored leaders and visionaries from the African American community from 1980 to 2008.
Black Resource Center eBook & Audiobooks: A curated collection of eBooks and audiobooks by and about Black Americans for all ages.
Black History Month
Black History Month is celebrated every year during the month of February. For more information please visit our African American and Black History Month page.
Black Resource Center Links
- African American History and Heritage Site: A CreativeFolk.com website created by Gerri Gribi, historian, educator and musician. Covers a wide range of topics on African American history and culture.
- The African-American Mosaic: Library-wide resource guide to the African American collections of the Library of Congress.
- African American Registry: A non-profit education organization that offers comprehensive resources on African American heritage, history and culture.
- Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH): Official site of the organization created in 1915 by Carter G. Woodson, founder of Black History Month. The Association provides a National Black History Month theme every year.
- California African American Museum (CAAM): Features treasures of African American art, history and culture. Provides cultural education through public programs and events.
- Juneteenth World Wide Celebration: Provides a history of Juneteenth from its beginnings in 1865 when General Gordon Granger announced the Emancipation Proclamation to the slaves in Texas, and highlights Juneteenth celebrations all over the world.
- Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community, and Culture: The official Kwanzaa website, detailing the history, principles, and symbols of this African American and Pan African holiday, created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga.
- The King Center: Site of the living memorial dedicated to the advancement of the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Martin Luther King, Jr., Research and Education Institute: Housed at Stanford University, the Institute is home to a broad range of activities and resources illuminating the life of King and the movements that he inspired. - Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum: Private collection of African American history and culture, including rare and out-of-print books, manuscripts, films and more.
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP): A civil rights organization whose goal is to ensure social justice and equality of rights for all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.
- Pan African Film and Arts Festival: Celebration of Black filmmaking based in Los Angeles and held annually during the first two weeks of February.
- Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture: A national research library devoted to materials that document the history and culture of people of African descent throughout the world.
- Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC): A national civil rights and human rights organization born out of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955. Promotes programs of economic empowerment, education, conflict resolution, youth development and more.
- National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom: A National Park Service (NPS) site dedicated to preserving, commemorating and interpreting the Underground Railroad.
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