Library
The MSRC Library
With more than one hundred and seventy-five thousand books, pamphlets, periodicals and microforms in numerous languages in its collections, the Library Division provides extensive documentary evidence of the history, lives and struggles of people of African descent.
Among the library’s holdings are many rare works, going back to the sixteenth 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 the first editions and first works by early twentieth century contemporary writers, including W.E.B. Du Bois, Richard Wright, Alice Walker, Nicolas Guillén, Wole Soyinka, James Baldwin, Chinua Achebe, Toni Morrison and Amiri Baraka. Special resources within the division’s collections include: theses and dissertations written on Black-related topics by students of other colleges and universities; English and foreign language newspapers, journals and magazines which provide current and retrospective examination of the Black diasporic experience; and an extensive vertical file collection consisting of thousands of folders of biographical and subject-related ephemeral materials which often serve as the sole source of information on obscure as well as better known people and events. Current and rare titles are added regularly to the collection to enhance its growth and development.
Dr. Dorothy Porter Wesley's Impact
"The appointment in 1930 of Dorothy B. Porter as curator of the Moorland Foundation was the beginning of a new era. A graduate of Howard and Columbia Universities, Mrs. Porter devoted 43 years to the development of the collection. In addition to creating a new classification system suitable for a special collection, she developed a wide variety of research tools based on her encyclopedic knowledge in the field, including authoritative bibliographies that have been invaluable to scholars. Substantial expansion of the collection was made possible by the opening of the Founders Library in 1939, the provision of special acquisition funds, and support for staff through the Works Progress Administration. Mrs. Porter was assisted in those critical years by Mrs. Ethel L. Williams, later librarian of the School of Religion." Moorland-Spingarn Research Center: A Past Revisited, A Present Reclaimed, by Former MSRC Director Michael R. Winston
Library FAQs
Can I study in the Reading Room as a student without an appointment?
Yes. All are welcome to study in the Reading Room. You don't need an appointment to visit. The Reading Room is open Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm.
What are your hours for in person research in the MSRC Reading Room?
The Reading Room is open Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm.
Where is the Reading Room?
The Reading Room is located in Founders Library on Howard University's main campus, 500 Howard Place NW,20059. When you enter Founders Library, the Reading Room is at the end of the hallway on the right.
Are there any fees associated with research?
Scheduling a research appointment in our Reading Room is free. However, requesting copies of our collections will incur a charge. Please visit the division page you are requesting materials from for details.
Do you offer virtual appointments?
Yes, please click this link to schedule a virtual reference appointment.
