Oakland Public Library
About this property
The African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO) is a museum and non-circulating library in the Oakland Public Library system dedicated to preserving African American history, experiences and culture. Located on 14th Street in Downtown Oakland, California, United States, the museum contains an extensive archival collection of such artifacts as diaries, correspondence, photos, and periodicals. The AAMLO is located at the Charles S. Greene building which previously was the Carnegie library. The building served as the Oakland Main Library from 1902 to 1951. The AAMLO began as a private collection in 1946, and on July 2, 1965, became the East Bay Negro Historical Society (EBNHS). 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. Eugene and Ruth Lasartemay and Jesse and Marcella Ford began collecting artifacts and documents creating the private collection in 1946. Initially housed in a small shop front on Grove Street (now Martin Luther King Jr. Way), the collection grew quickly and in 1982, was 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. Among 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, including collaborative exhibitions. Ida Jackson - Oakland's first African American schoolteacher Ron Dellums - Congressman and mayor of Oakland, California Marcus Foster - Superintendent of Oakland Schools assassinated in 1973 Morrie Turner - Cartoonist, creator of the comic strip Wee Pals Henry Delton Williams - Hollywood and Motown designer
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Oakland Public Library listed on the National Register?
Oakland Public Library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 10, 1983.
What type of historic resource is Oakland Public Library?
Oakland Public Library is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Oakland Public Library?
The period of significance for Oakland Public Library is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Oakland Public Library?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Oakland Public Library will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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