African American Museum and Library at Oakland
Encyclopedia
The African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO) is a museum
and non-circulating library
dedicated to preserving the history and experiences of African American
s in Northern California
and the Bay Area. It contains an extensive archival collection of such artifacts as diaries, correspondence, photos, and periodicals. It is currently located in the Charles A. Greene building in Oakland, which served as the Oakland Main Library
from 1902 to 1951.
The AAMLO began as a private collection in 1946, and in 1964 became the East Bay Negro Historical Society, Inc. It later changed its name to the Northern California Center for Afro-American History & Life, before being incorporated into the city of Oakland in 1994 under its current name, the African American Museum and Library at Oakland.
Among the more than 160 collections in the library are archives relating to Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, the Black Panthers, Africa, and genealogy. Materials include photographs, manuscripts, letters, diaries, newspapers, recorded oral histories, videos, and microfilms. AAMLO’s two galleries host changing exhibitions of art, history, and culture.
AAMLO began as a private collection in 1946. Initially housed in a small shop front on Grove Street (now Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard), the collection grew quickly and, in 1960, moved into the Oakland Public Library’s Golden Gate Branch. It officially became AAMLO, a public/ private partnership, in 1994. AAMLO moved into its current location in 2002.
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
and non-circulating library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
dedicated to preserving the history and experiences of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
s in Northern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and the Bay Area. It contains an extensive archival collection of such artifacts as diaries, correspondence, photos, and periodicals. It is currently located in the Charles A. Greene building in Oakland, which served as the Oakland Main Library
Oakland Public Library
The Oakland Public Library is the public library in Oakland, California. Opened in 1878, the Oakland Public Library currently serves the city of Oakland, along with some neighboring smaller cities including Emeryville and Piedmont. The Oakland Public Library has the largest collection of any...
from 1902 to 1951.
The AAMLO began as a private collection in 1946, and in 1964 became the East Bay Negro Historical Society, Inc. It later changed its name to the Northern California Center for Afro-American History & Life, before being incorporated into the city of Oakland in 1994 under its current name, the African American Museum and Library at Oakland.
Among the more than 160 collections in the library are archives relating to Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, the Black Panthers, Africa, and genealogy. Materials include photographs, manuscripts, letters, diaries, newspapers, recorded oral histories, videos, and microfilms. AAMLO’s two galleries host changing exhibitions of art, history, and culture.
AAMLO began as a private collection in 1946. Initially housed in a small shop front on Grove Street (now Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard), the collection grew quickly and, in 1960, moved into the Oakland Public Library’s Golden Gate Branch. It officially became AAMLO, a public/ private partnership, in 1994. AAMLO moved into its current location in 2002.