Skateboarding, little zines, Valentine's and more!
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January 2026
| Revised Version: Includes 1/22 program not included in newsletter sent earlier. |
Holiday Hours:
All San Francisco Public Libraries will CLOSED All Day on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026 for New Year’s and will be OPEN on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. And will be CLOSED All Day on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 for Martin Luther King.
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2026 marks an incredible milestone—30 years since the African American Center first opened its doors at the Main Library. For three decades, it has offered dynamic programs, thought-provoking exhibits, and exceptional collections that honor and celebrate the momentous and privotal historical, political, and cultural experiences of the African American community. In the New Year we remain dedicated to being a hub of learning, a bridge for connection, and a lively space for fostering community.
Kicking off the year, we’re thrilled to present a brand-new exhibit:
We’ve Got Sole: Hip Hop, Hoops, and the Rise of Sneaker Culture
January 16 – May 15, 2026
Join us for the opening reception on Thursday, January 22, 2026, featuring special guest Marlon Richardson (aka UnLearn The World)—Hip Hop artist, producer, and award-winning Hip Hop educator.
And that’s not all!
Don’t miss Divine Forces: Exploring the Power of the Orishas on Sunday, January 18, 2026, featuring Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Tomi Adeyemi, a keynote by acclaimed author and Yoruba Priestess Luisah Teish, and more.
We invite you to come celebrate with us as the African American Center continues to be your destination for fun, engaging, and uplifting events and programs all year long!
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→ Visit us 7 days a week on the 3rd Floor of the Main Library
Or get in touch at aac@sfpl.org.
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AAC's New Exhibit
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We've Got SoleHip Hop, Hoops and the Rise of Sneaker Culture
16 January - 15 May 2026
We've Got Sole is an exhibit celebrating the Black community’s influence on Sneaker Culture. Paying homage to the legacy of the Black and Brown communities whose creativity, perseverance, and style helped develop and shape what is now referred to as Sneaker Culture.
African American Center 3rd Floor 100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-557-4400 megan.merritt@sfpl.org
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| INFORMATION
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AAC's Featured Programs
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Divine Forces: Exploring the Power of the Orishas
Sunday, 1/18/2026
12:30 - 5:00pm
A transformative in-person event blending the power of Yoruba spirituality with cultural exploration and collective healing. Featuring Hugo and Nebula Award winning author Tomi Adeyemi, a keynote by acclaimed author and Yoruba Priestess Luisah Teish and panels with renowned writers and scholars like Sakena Young-Scaggs, Ayize Jama-Everett and Clarence A. Haynes.
Latino/Hispanic Meeting Rooms A&B 100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-557-4400 aac@sfpl.org
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| INFORMATION
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Celebration: A Look at the Legacy of Hip Hop Fashion
Thursday, 1/22/2026
6:00 - 7:00pm
Join the African American Center for the opening reception of our new exhibit We've Got Sole: Hip Hop, Hoops and the Rise of Sneaker Culture with a presentation, rap performance, food and refreshments.
Hip Hop Artist, Producer and Educator Marlon Richardson aka UnLearn The World takes you through a timeline of Hip Hop fashion, it's rich history and its influence on Pop culture, from the 90's shiny suit era to the rise of Streetwear and Sneaker culture. This interactive presentation will also include a live performance. Powered by Hip Hop For Change and the Hip Hop Education Center.
African American Center - 3rd Floor
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Contact Telephone415-557-4400
aac@sfpl.org
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Book Club: African American Legacy
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines
Tuesday, 1/13/2026
6:00 - 7:00
Focused on books that discuss our history in a journey towards the discovery of our ancestors.
The group will meet on Zoom on alternating months on the second Tuesday of the month.
This month's book: The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines.
Virtual Library
aac@sfpl.org
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| TO REGISTER
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How to Become a Black Writer: Creating and Honoring Black Stories That Matter (the Power of Black Stories, Inspiration for Black Storytellers) |
Marita Golden |
Award-winning author Marita Golden explores her writing career and how the igniting power of storytelling is still inspiring generations of Black authors today. |
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Moving Beyond Broke: The Power of Perseverance in Personal Finance |
Dasha Kennedy |
In the vein of Get Good with Money and The Black Girl's Guide to Financial Freedom, an accessible, witty, and necessary guide from the beloved creator of The Broke Black Girl that addresses the unique financial issues of Black women and others shut out of traditional finance conversations-- Provided by publisher. |
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Without Fear: Black Women and the Making of Human Rights |
Keisha N. Blain |
Without Fear tells the stories of Black women who, like Deborah in the Bible, have engaged in social justice agitation, refusing to simply suffer by engaging in the redemptive work of challenging injustice while in the midst of it. Each of us can and must learn from these women if we are to reconstruct America and build a just world. --Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II, coauthor of White Poverty |
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Letters in Exile: Transnational Journeys of a Harlem Renaissance Writer |
Claude McKay |
A collection of private correspondence from one of the Harlem Renaissance's brightest and most radical voices. The Jamaican-born, queer author Claude McKay (1890-1948) was a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance. His 1919 poem If We Must Die expressed a revolutionary vision for militant Black protest art, while his novels, including Home to Harlem, Banjo, and Banana Bottom, described ordinary Black life in lyrical prose.
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Where No Black Woman Has Gone Before: Subversive Portrayals in Speculative Film and TV |
Diana Adesola Mafe |
With in-depth explorations of six contemporary American and British films and shows, this pioneering volume spotlights black female characters who play central, subversive roles in science fiction, fantasy, and horror. |
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The Making of a Black Communist: The Selected Writings of Eugene Gordon |
Eugene Gordon (1891-1974) was a major writer involved in the development of the burgeoning Black literary scene in Boston in the 1920s, an active player in the Harlem Renaissance, and a longtime member of the Communist Party. Despite his credentials as a reporter, editor, fiction writer, and political activist, he is rarely mentioned in studies of the Harlem Renaissance or Marxist politics. |
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In Memoriam |
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Betty Reid Soskin, the trailblazing war worker, singer/songwriter, performer, legislative aide, National Park Service ranger, and tireless advocate against discrimination, passed away on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at the age of 104.
A longtime Richmond, CA resident who grew up in Oakland and New Orleans, Soskin served an extraordinary 15 years at the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond. There, she conducted tours that highlighted the experiences of Black women during World War II.
In 2018, the African American Center had the privilege of hosting Soskin for a talk about her memoir, Sign My Name to Freedom.
To learn more about her remarkable life and legacy, check out her book: Sign My Name to Freedom.
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Community Happenings
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Free Community Day
Date and TimeMonday, Jan 19, 2026 11am - 5pm
LocationMuseum of the African Diaspora
685 Mission Street
Details
MoAD will celebrate the national observance of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday as a Day of Service, providing FREE admission to the museum and programs throughout the day. Through art, performance and music, our special guests will help us reflect on the importance of protest, creativity and diverse communities.
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| INFORMATION
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For more MLK Day events: Click Here |
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Main Library
100 Larkin St.
San Francisco, CA 94102 sfpl.org |
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View the PDF edition of At the Library Newsletter.
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