The Black American Library Card Project is a community partnership for a limited-edition library card celebrating the history, contributions and culture of Black Americans.
In June 2021, Brooklyn Public Library released a limited-edition library card celebrating Black American history, contributions and culture, in partnership with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Brooklyn’s Community Boards. The card was released as part of Brooklyn Public Library’s Juneteenth 2021 celebrations, the first year Juneteenth was recognized as a City, State and public school holiday.
This project began as a proposal from Wendy A. Robinson from Community Board 3’s Parks, Arts & Culture Committee to celebrate and raise awareness of the African American Heritage Center at Macon Library. BPL is grateful to Wendy A. Robinson and other Community Board 3 Members for their work developing this idea.
In January 2021, BPL put out an open call for artists to submit their designs for a library card. The designs were reviewed by a panel of BPL staff and community stakeholders. The finalists had their works displayed and the selected designer received a $2,000 stipend for their work.
This limited-edition card was released Summer 2021 at the African American Heritage Center at Macon Library and is available at all library branches in Brooklyn that are issuing library cards.
This card is BPL's first in a planned series of Celebrating Heritage library cards.
Project Partners
- Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams
- Community Board 2
- Community Board 3
- Community Board 4
- Community Board 5
- Community Board 6
- Community Board 8
- Community Board 9
- Community Board 10
- Community Board 13
- Community Board 14
- Community Board 16
- Community Board 17