The Library Division houses the Center’s secondary sources and is responsible for collecting and preserving published and printed materials, including the Center’s books, newspapers, serials, theses, and dissertations.

The Library Division is rich in the works of African American and African scholars, statesmen, poets, novelists, entertainers, educators and historians. Among the Division’s holdings are many rare works, dating from the 16th century, by such notables as Juan Latino, Jacobus Capitein, Gustavus Vassa, Phillis Wheatley, Jupiter Hammon, David Walker, Frederick Douglass, and Martin Delaney.

The collections are particularly strong in first editions and first works by early 20th century contemporary writers, including W.E.B. Du Bois, Richard Wright, Alice Walker, Nicolas Guillen, Wole Soyinka, James Baldwin, Chinua Achebe, Toni Morrison, and Amiri Baraka.

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