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Black History Month

Black History Month

at RPL

Black History Month

February is Black History Month, during which we pay tribute to the generations of both struggle and achievement, African Americans have experienced in our country. At Richmond Public Library we take pride in honoring our Black community every month of the year. But, in celebration of this month, we have several exciting events planned. Below you will find a list of our Black History Month programs, curated lists of books and materials, and a few online resources to aide in genealogical and historical research.

Upcoming Events

Black History Month: An Evening with the Authors

Mon

6

Feb
 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

 Gellman Room - Main Library

Celebrate Black History Month by taking a journey with these authors as they speak about their books. We'll be hosting an evening with the authors Monday evenings in February. You will laugh, cry and be enriched by African American history and experience.

BOOK LAUNCH: "The House of Eve" with author Sadeqa Johnson

Tues

7

Feb
 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

 Auditorium - Main Library

Celebrate the release of Richmond-based author Sadeqa Johnson's new book, The House of Eve, with the author at Richmond Public Library! Ms. Johnson will talk about the new work, answer questions and sign copies for attendees. Copies will be available for sale from the Fountain Bookstore.

The Execution of Virginia Christian, with Author Charles Vaughan

Tues

14

Feb
 6:00pm - 7:45pm

 Gellman Room - Main Library

Charles Vaughan, author of Grant Me to Live: The Execution of Virginia Christian, 'A Legal Homicide' will talk about a singular case in Virginia, the first African American juvenile female execution. Students of the George Floyd murder and similar cases will marvel at how little has changed in attitudes in comparison with the Virginia legal and political landscape of today.

Databases

Celebrate Black History Month from home. Explore our digital collections for specially curated resources both for entertainment and enjoyment as well as learning and research.

Black History Month on Hoopla

hoopla offers an abundance of titles to celebrate Black History Month. From eBooks, to audiobooks, music, movies, comics, and more, enjoy all hoopla has to offer. All you need is a Richmond Public Library card and a computer or smart device.

View the Black History month collection on Hoopla!

ProQuest African American Heritage

ProQuest® African American Heritage is a groundbreaking digital resource exclusively devoted to African American family history research. This collection was created in partnership with leading African American genealogists and recognized leaders in genealogical information to develop a comprehensive mix of resources, records, and tools specifically pertaining to African Americans. As a consequence of slavery and the changing legal status of African Americans, research in this area can be more challenging than other genealogical inquiries. ProQuest African American Heritage helps individuals address these unique issues by not only bringing together records critical to African American family research, but also by connecting them to a community of research experts, whose mentoring and assistance can frequently be the difference between research success and futility.
Visit ProQuest® African American Heritage

Black Freedom Struggle

ProQuest® believes that knowledge and trusted information can help guide progress and change. That’s why they developed this website focused on Black Freedom, featuring select primary source documents related to critical people and events in African American history. Their intention is to support a wide range of students, as well independent researchers and anyone interested in learning more about the foundation of ongoing racial injustice in the U.S. – and the fights against it. By centering on the experiences and perspectives of African Americans, the hope is that this collection imbues the study of Black history with a deeper understanding of the humanity of people who have pursued the quest for freedom, and the significance of movements like Black Lives Matter.
View the Black Freedom Struggle Collection at ProQuest®

Black Life in America

Black Life in America—a unique digital archive of news media—presents the broad sweep of African American history in ways no textbook or other online resource can match. By offering balanced coverage from diverse sources published from 1704 through present day, this multi-disciplinary resource is crucial for the study and interpretation of historical and current events.
View the Black Life in America Collection from NewsBank