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Arturo Schomburg |
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Brief Biography of Arturo Schomburg Born in Puerto Rico, Arthur Schomburg showed an interest in black history at an early age. By the time he came to New York City as a young man, he already had a an impressive collection of books, pictures and manuscripts on black culture. He secured work to pay his expenses which allowed him to pursue his real interest. An untiring and thorough researcher, Schomburg spent his entire life uncovering material to support his belief that "There is the definite desire and determination to have a history well documented, widely known and administered as a stimulating and inspiring tradition for the coming generation." Book by book, his collection grew, including materials about all phases of black life in the United States, the Caribbean, Africa and other places blacks have lived. In 1926, the Carnegie Foundation purchased his vast collection and presented it to the new York Public Library. Thus this invaluable collection was preserved and made available to the public. With the popularization of black history in the 1960's, the library provided a wealth of information for students from all over the world . Today, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York stands as a monument to the endeavors of Arthur A. Schomburg. For more resources on Arturo Schomburg:
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