African American Department

A selection of items on display from the African America Department

The African American Department is on the first floor of the Enoch Pratt Central Library Annex, past the computer lab and Special Collections.

The Eddie and Sylvia Brown African American Collection

The collection includes more than 45,000 circulating and non-circulating volumes of fiction and nonfiction; microforms and CD-ROMs; and an extensive selection of reference works.

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Digital Collection

Ephemera Collection

Microfilm Collection

Photograph Collection

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Vertical Files Subject Headings

African American Resources

more	Black Thought and Culture is a landmark electronic collection of approximately 100,000 pages covering the non-fiction published works of leading African Americans.

NAACP Celebrates 100 Years: 1909 - 2009

more	On February 12, 2009, the NAACP marked its 100th anniversary! The NAACP Headquarters, based in Baltimore, MD, along with its 1,700 units nationwide, will host celebrations and observances throughout the year.

Juneteenth

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Juneteenth, also known as Jun-Jun Freedom Day, or National Freedom Day, is among the oldest African-American observances. This holiday is celebrated each year on June 19. After the Civil War concluded and the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln, it took time for the "freedom message" to cross the country.

Mapping the African American Experience

Maps help to illustrate the African American experience in Maryland.

The Slave Voyages Database

The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database offers researchers, students and the general public a chance to rediscover the reality of one of the largest movements of people in the history of the world.


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African American Periodicals

more	Selected periodicals held by the Pratt Periodicals Department that are of special interest to African-Americans. Pratt holds the G.K. Hall Index to Black Periodicals from 1950 to 2003.

Jet and Ebony Magazines

Jet Magazine

Old issues of Jet and Ebony magazines dating back to the 1950s are available online. Click on the links below to access issues of the magazines.

Jet

Ebony

This Week in Jet

This Month in Ebony

African Americans Marylanders - Firsts and Facts

Josiah Henson (1789-1883), born a slave in Charles County, Md., and later a preacher and author, is thought by many to have been the inspiration for the character of Uncle Tom in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
Ray Charles “Sugar Ray” Leonard (1956-), who spent his childhood in Palmer Park, Maryland, was the first boxer ever to win titles in five different weight classes.

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