“The spirit of cooperation and commitment that was passed on to me from the Africana and Ujamaa communities with which I interacted while pursuing my Africana Studies major invariably shapes my life and decisions today.”

—MANDLIESILO “MANDLA” MSIMANG ’98, ASSISTANT TO THE DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY AUTHORITY

The chief purpose for building the new single-story addition to the Center was to house the John Henrik Clarke Africana Library, one of 19 Cornell University Library units. The library’s new location offers convenient access to its full range of services and resources, which include online catalog terminals, wireless Internet, CD-ROMs, audio-visual equipment, and bibliographic databases. High ceilings supported by an African-inspired geometric design of mahogany beams and earth-tone wall colors create a bright, spacious, and inviting atmosphere for research, study, and contemplation. Flat-screen desktop computer stations serve contemporary academic needs.

The Clarke Africana Library is the only facility of its kind on an Ivy League campus. Among its 19,000 volumes are rare primary-source materials and notable collections on the American Civil Rights and Black Power movements. Larger space makes it possible for the library to make significant new acquisitions for the benefit of students, faculty, and independent Africana scholars from around the world who study at the Center.

The new addition to the Center also houses a larger Hoyt Fuller conference room and classroom and a 150-seat multipurpose room to accommodate large classes, public lectures, conferences, and events. Recent events include a two-day international conference in celebration of the bicentennial of the Haitian Revolution, coordinated with a film series entitled The Haitian Revolution in Global Contexts, and a new, ongoing series called Black Authors/New Books in addition to the bi-weekly colloquium that brings scholars from across the campus and nation.

Greater programmatic activity at the new facility affirms the Center’s commitment to strengthen and expand the interdisciplinary collaborations it has cultivated with other Cornell colleges and units, which include the Institute for African Development, the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell Cinema, and others. Outreach programs, such as summer teacher training workshops and local programs on Africa, can also be expanded or initiated as a result of the additional space.

The new space and improved facilities are critical for the Africana Studies and Research Center to strengthen its contributions to education, scholarship, and outreach. In particular, the expanded Center will aid in recruitment and retention of outstanding and diverse faculty, create a modern teaching and learning environment for the growing body of Africana Studies students, and advance interdisciplinary study across the university.