African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO)

African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO)

The African American Museum and Library at Oakland is dedicated to the discovery, preservation, interpretation, and sharing of historical and cultural experiences of African Americans in California and the West for present and future generations.

The reference library supports the archives and museum. Materials may only be used in the library.

Visit AAMLO

659 14th Street
Oakland
(510) 637-0200
aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org

Hours

Monday: 10:00am to 5:30pm

Tuesday: 10:00am to 5:30pm

Wednesday: 10:00am to 5:30pm

Thursday: 10:00am to 5:30pm

Friday: 12:00pm to 5:30pm

Saturday: 10:00am to 5:30pm

Tours of AAMLO

Self-guided tours of AAMLO do not require a reservation.

To request a guided tour with AAMLO staff, or for group tours, please contact us at aamlo@oaklandlibrary.org or (510) 637-0200.

Upcoming AAMLO Events

Join us for wonderful programs showcasing African American culture and history.

Archives

AAMLO's archival collection is a unique resource on the history of African Americans in Northern California and the Bay Area.
 
The archives includes over 160 collections. They record the lives of families, pioneers, churches, social and political organizations.

Online Collections

African American Museum & Library at Oakland on Calisphere

History in different forms from institutions in California.
Otis Tarleton Mansfield poses for aphoto in his naval uniform

African American Museum & Library at Oakland - OAC

The Online Archive of California (OAC) provides free access to resource collections.

AAMLO on the Internet Archive

The African American Museum and Library at Oakland digital collection contains audiovisual material from the 1940s to the 2000s.

Black in the Bay Blog Posts

Read these original articles on the Bay Area's rich history of African American life and culture.

Articles on Black History

Jumell Devaull shaking hands with PoPo the Clown at Children's Fairyland [ 2136 ] 1965-10-23

Oakland History is Black History at Children's Fairyland

Children's Fairyland is celebrating Black History Month with a spectacular visual display.

Unsung Heroes that Helped Desegregate Public Libraries

A brief history of some of the people who fought to desegregate American Public Libraries.
Martin Luther King Jr. talking with Roy Wilkins [part of N.A.A.C.P. San Francisco Convention collage]

Dr. King Visits Oakland

Remembering the 1957 and 1962 addresses of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered at the Oakland Auditorium.

Remembering the Fannie Wall Children’s Home

Marco Frazier reflects on the Fannie Wall Children's Home, a Bay Area institution for youth.

Watch Past AAMLO Events

Enjoy rich AAMLO programming from the comfort of home.

Recorded Events

Collections

The Black Studies Collection

The Black Studies Collection

Databases, journals, digitized collections, and other online resources on Black Studies, curated by AAMLO librarians.

AAMLO Study Guides

AAMLO Study Guides

Looking to do research on a specific topic? Consider AAMLO's research guides covering West Coast Blues, the Black Panther Party, and more.

African American Perspectives

Gale In Context: African American Perspectives

Study the history of African Americans in the United States.

Black in the Bay

Black in the Bay

From OPL writers, articles, book lists, and more about being Black in the Bay.

Black Thought and Culture

Black Thought and Culture

A collection of approximately 100,000 pages of non-fiction writings by major Black figures in America, covering 250 years of history.

AAMLO Digital Underground

A collection of titles from OPL's African American Museum and Library that you can read on the go.

Seed Lending at AAMLO

Anyone is welcome to take seeds. We ask that you sign out for the seeds, then return some next generation seeds for others to borrow.
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