Your public library is here with books, resources, and experiences that can help us connect and celebrate Black history and culture.
- Browse: Titles we suggest for all ages.
- View: Dreamscapes by Amani Borah (through February 28) in the Main Library Gallery and Maintaining Wonder: Deangelo & the Dandelion (January 29-March 20) in the Idea Box.
- Attend: Upcoming events.
- Explore: Librarian-curated resources.
Titles we suggest
More to explore
- Reading lists for kids: Titles by Black creators
- Resources for grade schoolers: Meet Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, the man who built a library
- Stream on Kanopy: Films and documentaries
- Available on Hoopla: Ebooks, videos, and music
Exhibits
Art Exhibit: Dreamscapes by Amani Borah
Through February 28, Main Library Gallery
The collected works exhibited in Dreamscapes invite each individual to participate in the colors and activities on the island of Mombasa, as well as mainland Nairobi. Some scenes depict fishermen celebrating the abundance of the day’s catch, while others give us a glimpse of busy villagers going about their daily chores. Still other paintings are creations that were glimpsed in dreams, such as fairy villages amongst the trees.
Related event:
- Art Reception, Thursday, February 5, 5:30-7 pm, Main Library Gallery
Idea Box: Maintaining Wonder: Deangelo’s World
January 29-March 30, Main Library Idea Box
Rapbrary is a living archive founded by Chicago-based rapper, librarian, and cultural worker Roy Kinsey, rooted in the belief that hip-hop is literature and libraries are cultural sanctuaries.
At Oak Park Public Library, Rapbrary unfolds as a multi-week immersive experience blending live performance, film, installation, visual art, music, and storytelling—centering Black imagination, freedom of expression, and the power of story as resistance.
About the installation
The Idea Box installation Maintaining Wonder: Deangelo’s World invites visitors into the interior life of a sensitive, creative Black child inspired by Kinsey’s book Deangelo and the Dandelion. Through environmental design, books, and visual storytelling, the installation centers tenderness, imagination, and resilience, creating a space where softness and strength coexist.
Related events:
- Rapbrary Opening Reception, Thursday, January 29, 6 pm, Main Library
- Rapbrary: Roy Kinsey Performance, Thursday, February 5, 8 pm, Main Library
- Film Screening: Rapbrarian: Reading Came First, Wednesday, February 11, 6 pm, Main Library
- Bloom Theory: A Black History Month Gathering with Roy Kinsey, Thursday, February 26, 6 pm, Main Library
Upcoming events
Latine Author Book Cafe: A Woman of Endurance
February 10, 6 pm, Main Library
Join us on the second Tuesday of each month as we discuss works written by Latine authors.* Spanish language copies will be made available when possible. This month, we’ll read A Woman of Endurance, a groundbreaking historical novel by a heralded author that explores the seldom-discussed Puerto Rican Atlantic Slave Trade.
The Great Migration & The Great War: Engines of Change
February 11, 6:30 pm, Main Library
Join musician, historian, and radio personality Clarence Goodman for this presentation on the Great Migration and the Great War, and how they permanently changed the American landscape.
School’s Out: Celebrate Black History With Mama Edie (grades preK-5)
February 13, 4 pm, Main Library
Join storyteller Mama Edie McLoud Armstrong to celebrate Black History Month and honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a leader renowned for his kindness and commitment to fairness. Listen to Mama Edie’s stories about marching with Dr. King when she was just 15 years old, and share your own experiences to demonstrate how you contribute to the vital history of truth and justice.
Earth Lounge: An Environmental Book Discussion: Black Earth Wisdom
February 18, 6 pm, Main Library
Explore nature and environmentalism from a variety of perspectives across fiction and nonfiction literature on the third Wednesday of every month. This month, we’ll read Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations With Black Environmentalists, a collection of illuminating essays and interviews that explore Black people’s spiritual and scientific connection to the land, waters, and climate.
Librarian-curated online resources
Use your Oak Park library card and PIN to access:
- African-American History Online: Find a fresh way to explore the full spectrum of African American history and culture, covering five centuries.
- African American Heritage: Explore a genealogy database devoted to African American family history research.
- PebbleGo (grades prek-3) and PebbleGo Next (grades 3-5): Read the biographies of Black Americans, including civil rights leaders, explorers and pioneers, scientists, inventors and business leaders, athletes, and more.