On August 17, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul visited the Schomburg Center and announced an award of $8 million to the Center for refurbishing the building’s facade and replacing the windows and roof.
The funding will allow for the enhancements, energy-saving improvements, and preserving the Center’s collections.
The award will be administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), who will also provide design services and construction management.
“Governor Hochul’s award to the Schomburg Center will support us as we envision our future and continue to be a world-class institution devoted to the preservation and exploration of Black diasporic history,” said Joy L. Bivins, director of the Schomburg Center. “This contribution is vitally important as we continuously strive to provide our patrons and staff with the best environment possible to research, learn, work, and discover.”
“With this funding, we’re not just giving this building a facelift, we’re making a critical investment in our history and culture,” Governor Hochul said. “For nearly a century, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture has acted as a library, a research institution, a community hub, and above all, a space to celebrate Black people in America.”
“The New York Public Library and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture are deeply grateful for Governor Kathy Hochul’s award of $8 million in capital funding to the Schomburg in this year’s budget,” said New York Public Library Chief Operating Officer, Iris Weinshall. “This capital grant is an investment in futureproofing this important institution as it celebrates another century of providing access to the world’s knowledge in Black diasporic history.”
Governor Hochul made the announcement during a trip to the Center during Harlem Week, an annual event that celebrates the history, businesses, and people of the historic community and those who support it.
Some of the elected officials in attendance included State Senator Cordell Cleare, State Senator Robert Jackson, Assemblymember Inez Dickens, and Assemblymember Kimberly Jean-Pierre.
The visit also honored Lloyd Williams, president, and chief executive officer of the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce. The organization is perhaps best known for founding Harlem Week in 1974 writes New York Libraries.
The presentation is posted on the Center’s YouTube channel.
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