Photo courtesy of the African American Museum and Library at Oakland Archives Department
Happy Belated Birthday Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela Visits the City of Oakland After His Release From Prison
African Americans Music History
Collections focused on music from our Archives and Library
African Americans in the Art of Music
Jenkins Photo Collection
African Americans have made significant contributions to the art of music in many genres. From gospel legends Shirley Ceasar, to Motown legends Diana Ross and the Supremes, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas and many more. The Bay Area has also produced many legends from Oakland born artist Sheila E., to rap/hip hop artists Too Short, M.C. Hammer, Digital Underground, and R&B artist Goapele.
Seeing the need to have the accomplishments of African American music and its musicians recognized, music producer Kenny Gamble and broadcast executive Ed Wright, crafted an idea of celebrating the contributions of African Americans musicians to the art of music while
July Summer Film Festival at the African American Museum & Library at Oakland
Catch Stanley Nelson's inspirational documentaries plus a special program of archival short films
Each Saturday in July AAMLO will be screening a series of documentary films by Stanley Nelson plus a one day special program of archival short films. All screenings begin at 2 pm.
Stanley Nelson is one of the foremost chroniclers of the African American experience working in nonfiction film today. His films, many of which have aired on PBS, combine compelling narratives with rich and deeply researched historical detail, shining new light on both familiar and under-explored aspects of the American past.
Saturday July 7
Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges & Universities (Stanley Nelson, 2017)
Voter Pre-Registration & a Snapshot of Oakland Youth’s Views on Voting
Oakland Public Libraries have long been a site where community members can pick up voter registration applications, and now OPL can also help 16- and 17-year-olds pre-register to vote.
Post by Diane Vo, a librarian in the Main Library's TeenZone
Last month, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla reported that over 100,000 16- and 17-year-olds have pre-registered to vote in California. The number of pre-registrations per week has noticeably increased since February’s Parkland, FL, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and March’s national school walkouts and protests.
Padilla announced this milestone while also launching a new youth portal of the California Secretary of State website that connects students to civic engagement opportunities. The secretary of state subsequently held rallies and events during California High School Voter Education Weeks (April 16-27), where he spoke to
Giving Me Life: A Visual Journey of African American Organ and Tissue Transplant Recipients
A powerful photography exhibition depicting the visual testimonies of nine Bay Area African American transplant recipients who have overcome incredible obstacles in their journeys toward a more fulfilling life through the gift of organ and tissue donation.
The African American Museum and Library at Oakland in collaboration with the Donor Network West presents our newest exhibition “Giving Me Life: A Visual Journey of African American Organ and Tissue Transplant Recipients.” This upcoming photography exhibition holds a very special place in my heart.
As a child of a parent who received multiple kidney transplants, I can remember getting up early in the morning making the trek to UCSF for my moms’ dialysis and doctors’ appointments. My mother waited years on the transplant list for a donor which would give her a new lease on life. I also remember the jubilation we all felt when we received the call that a match had been found.
My mother was fortunate to get the gift of life twice in her lifetime. The first gift came from my uncle, who donated a kidney when my mother was in her early 20s. I am deeply
AAMLO Receives Council on Library and Information Resources Grant to Digitize Black Panther Party Films
The African American Museum & Library at Oakland was recently awarded a Recordings at Risk grant for $19,950 from the Council on Library and Information Resources to digitize and preserve Black Panther Party and social protest films from the Henry J. Williams Jr. Film Collection.
The African American Museum & Library at Oakland was recently awarded a Recordings at Risk grant for $19,950 from the Council on Library and Information Resources to digitize and preserve Black Panther Party and social protest films from the Henry J. Williams Jr. Film Collection.
The project will digitize and provide online access to 98 films and 4 audiotapes documenting Black Panther Party and student and union protest movements from the late 1960s to the 1970s. The films include footage shot by the documentary film collective California Newsreel of the Black Panther Party and its leaders in Oakland, California in the 1960s; union and student protest films of Vietnam War activists; United Automobile Workers and Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union union strikes; Farah Manufacturing Company strike of 1972; and student protests at high schools in Oakland, California, following the police shooting of 14 year-old Melvin Black in
Collection Management at OPL
The Oakland Public Library (OPL) has recently fielded a number of inquiries from concerned patrons and community members regarding our collection practices. We would like to reinforce our commitment to providing an equitable collection that reflects Oakland’s communities.
We thank you for using and loving your Oakland Public Library.
The City of Oakland's official statement on Collection Management is:
Recently, several books titles from the Oakland Public Library were brought to our attention as being inappropriately discarded. Upon research, these particular books, in addition to others, were withdrawn from the Elmhurst Branch Library, having been published between 1990-2007, about 11-28 years ago. These particular books were not from the African-American Museum and Library of Oakland (AAMLO) collection. All of the book titles referenced are still available to the public through the Oakland Public Library at multiple branches and through the Library online LINK+ system.
The development and management of library collections is guided by the American Library Association and is a necessary function of libraries across the globe. In effectively managing the Oakland Public Library collection, the Library follows the guidelines of the American Library
What’s New at AAMLO: Recent Acquisition Highlights
Recent additions to AAMLO's archives and reference collections
The African American Museum & Library at Oakland continually acquires new material, expanding special collections which document the history and cultural experiences of African Americans in Northern California and the Bay Area.
Recent book arrivals are always available for easy browsing and enjoyment in the reference room. While AAMLO copies cannot be checked out, staff is always happy to help locate circulating copies at Oakland Public Library branches. Some recent and noteable titles include:
Choose Privacy!
OPL's Digital Safety Team celebrates Choose Privacy Week! Read about why digital privacy matters, discover new resources, and learn about events happening at your library.
By Camille Peters & Andrea Guzmán, members of OPL's Digital Safety Team
This week, we celebrate Choose Privacy Week, an annual event held by the American Library Association (ALA) that "promotes the importance of individual privacy rights and celebrates libraries and librarians’ unique role in protecting privacy in the library and in society as a whole.” We encourage you to take this opportunity to reflect on your current digital practices and make changes according to your privacy needs.
Why does choosing privacy matter to us? Because your digital privacy and security are paramount to exercising intellectual freedom, a core value of public libraries. As stated by the ALA
Bike Month at Oakland Libraries
Bike to books! Celebrate bike month with fun programs and more.
We're pretty crazy about bikes here at the Oakland library!
We celebrate bikes all year with things like the Women Bike Book club, lending bike tools from the tool library, working with the Scraper Bike team at the Shed, and providing pumps and locks at all locations.
But we really get pedaling in May for bike month. Look at all the great things we have planned!
From Sea to Sea with Zeke Gerwein
Last summer, local teen Zeke biked from Delaware back to the Bay Area in an effort to meet fellow Americans and understand our political climate. Enjoy