Broward Count
y African American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC) is pr
oud to announce its yearlong commemoration of 20 years of collecting\, pre
serving\, and sharing local\, national\, and international Black history a
nd culture. \; Throughout 2022\, AARLCC will host a slate of exciting
programs and events for our Vicennial of Black Excellence. \; \;&n
bsp\;
\;
On February 11\, AARLCC kicks \;off the Vicenn
ial of Black Excellence during Black History Month\, hosting \;a Re-de
dication Celebration connecting our supporters back to the purpose\, visio
n\, and mission that compelled them to wholeheartedly support the creation
of AARLCC 20 years ago. This event will inspire the next generation of su
pporters who will ensure the legacy of AARLCC continues for more years to
come! \;
\; \;
Included in the Re-dedication Celebr
ation is the grand opening of our new \;exhibit \;Coll
ectors&rsquo\; Duet: The Lifelong Librarianship of Vivian D. Hewitt and Do
rothy Porter Wesley Exhibition. \;Highlighting the caree
rs of extraordinary librarians who changed the profession of librarianship
\, \;this \;exhibit provides \;a glimpse \;into \;the
lives of two prominent \;librarians who \;were \;also \;av
id \;collectors. \;
\;
Dorothy Porter Wesley\, libr
arian\, bibliographer\, scholar\, historian\, and archivist\, was for 43 y
ears (1930-1973) the curator of the Moorland-Spingarn Collection at Howard
University in Washington\, D.C. Under her guidance\, a small special coll
ection grew into a world-renowned research library comprised of content ab
out people of African descent. The \;Dorothy Porter Wesley Collection \;at AARLCC includes first ed
ition and rare books along with writings by Dorothy Porter Wesley. \;&
nbsp\; \; \;
\;
Vivian Davidson Hewitt\, librarian\
, scholar\, and art collector\, \;was the first African American libra
rian at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and president of the Special Li
braries Association. Vivian and her husband\, Professor John H. Hewitt\, a
massed a large art collection highlighting the African diaspora. \;The John H. and Vivian Hewitt Collec
tion\, contains art by Haitian artists\, along with correspondence\, a
nd art memorabilia. \;
\;
\;
Coll
ectors&rsquo\; Duet: The Lifelong Librarianship of Vivian D. Hewitt and Do
rothy Porter Wesley Exhibition \;is free and open to the public on Mon
day &\; Wednesday 11 am-7 pm and Tuesday\, Thursday\, Friday\, an
d Saturday 10 am-6 pm (closed Sundays). \;
< strong>
\nFor additional information on the exhibition\, call 954-357-6282.
\n\nThe \;exhibition is presented by \;the Broward County African-American Research Library and Cu ltural Center (AARLCC) \;supported by \;Cigna and the \;Friends of the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center.
\n\nAbout th
e African American Research Library and Cultural Center \;
The Broward County African American Resear
ch Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC) is located in the Sistrunk com
munity\, one of the oldest historically Black communities named for one of
Fort Lauderdale&rsquo\;s first Black physicians. Opening to the public on
October 26\, 2002\, AARLCC became the third public library of its kind in
the United States dedicated to the study of Black history and culture. Th
e 60\,000 square-foot Center serves as a repository of materials related t
o the local\, national\, and international voices of the African diaspora
with more than 85\,000 books\, manuscripts\, artifacts\, framed art\, prin
t\, photography\, audiovisual\, and documents held in our Adult Services S
ection and Special Collections. The Youth Services Section features a spec
ial collection of Coretta Scott King Award books and the Ashley Bryan Art
Collection from illustrators of African Descent. AARLCC also features a 5\
,000 sq. ft. museum\, a 300-seat state-of-the-art theatre\, and a Computer
Training Center.
Room capacity is limited to ens ure compliance with social distancing guidelines. Indoor\, in-person progr ams will be contingent on the Centers for Disease Control benchmark and gu idance for low COVID-19 infection rates. High rates of infection will nece ssitate the cancellation of indoor\, in-person programs. In the event indo or\, in-person programs are canceled\, there are many online programs avai lable at https://www.youtube.com/browardcountylibrary
\nhttps://broward .libnet.info/event/5904449 URL;VALUE=URI:https://broward.libnet.info/event/5904449 ATTACH:https://static.libnet.info/images/events/broward/AF_XX_Final_Commun ico_Image__600x400_.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR