Explore the extensive Black history of Houston and the surrounding region through photography, documents and oral history collections in the African American Library at the Gregory School’s online digital archives.
While Houston Public Libraries remain closed to visitors due to COVID-19, there are still plenty of deep digital archives to explore online—including the special collections of the African American Library at the Gregory School, which chronicles the history of Black life and culture in Houston and the surrounding region.
Through the digital archives, visitors can explore Black history through an extensive collection of archival documents and photographs, offering deep dives into the families, businesses and neighborhoods of Houston’s historic Black communities.
In the Houston Oral History Project, the African American Library at the Gregory School has collected the rich, under-documented experiences from some of Houston’s prominent citizens that explore the culture and history of Houston’s wards, civil rights and integration, business owners, community institutions and much more.
About the African American Library at the Gregory School
Located in the historic Freedmen’s Town district of Houston’s Fourth Ward, the African American Library at the Gregory School is one of the most recent additions to the Houston Public Library system and one of the few African American libraries in the country.
It is housed within the nearly century-old elementary school on Victor Street, and serves the city as a resource to preserve, promote and celebrate the rich history and culture of African Americans in Houston, the surrounding region and the African diaspora.
Visitors will find a special collection that includes reference books, rare books, archival materials, exhibits, artifacts, oral histories and innovative programs that provide valuable information to the Houston community. Click here to learn more about the African American Library at the Gregory School.
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