The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture today announced January 13-14, 2017 as the dates of its 5th Annual Black Comic Book Festival in Harlem. For the first time in its five-year history, the festival will take place over two days at the Schomburg Center in Harlem.
The Schomburg Center’s Annual Black Comic Book Festival celebrates the rich tradition of black comix featuring panel discussions, film screenings, cosplay, and exhibit tables with premiere black comic creators from across the country. The annual extravaganza, which drew more than 7000 attendees in 2016, connects comic readers, creators, bloggers, nerds, independent publishers, and collectors of all ages.
“We decided to build the Black Comic Book Festival focusing on amplifying the voices of independent creators to convene the community around their art and efforts, and to feed an alternative market for culture and literacy,” said Deirdre Hollman, Director of Education and Exhibitions at the Schomburg Center. “I believe the biggest influence has been fostering a space for creative community exchange by connecting a plethora of creators, storytellers, artists, and bookmakers with an intergenerational audience of readers. Creating this space at the Schomburg, in the heart of Harlem, where the community trusts the mission of promoting black history and culture, adds to the uniqueness of this event – it is by, of and for the people.”
The Schomburg’s Annual Black Comic Book Festival is presented by festival co-founders Deirdre Hollman, Director of Education and Exhibitions at the Schomburg Center; Jerry Craft, Cartoonist, children’s book illustrator and creator of Mama’s Boyz; and John Jennings, nationally recognized cartoonist, designer and graphic novelist.
Admission to the Black Comic Book Festival is free. Festival registration will open in mid-December 2016 at www.schomburgcenter.eventbrite.com.
Black Comic Book Festival exhibitors are by invitation only. For more information, please contact SchomburgEd@nypl.org.
January 13-14, 2017 10am – 7pm, Friday and Saturday
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10037, www.schomburgcenter.org.
See more photographs by Seitu Oronde’s Seitu’s World here.
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