Archives & Special Collections

Special Collections

The Special Collections contain rare books and other published and unpublished materials. These materials can be used in-house only. The holdings are divided into several collections:

African-American Diaspora Collection
The collection encompasses a wide variety of academic areas, particularly in the humanities and social sciences. These materials include out of print or rare books and autographed copies.

Arthur Thompson’s Musical Collection
This collection of classical music was received as a remembrance of Mr. Arthur Thompson, a distinguished vocalist. It comprises books and vinyl records.

The Caribbean Research Center Collection
The Caribbean Research Center was established in September, 1985 to address the needs and achievements of the rapidly growing Caribbean segment of the New York State population. The Center conducts its research under the following heads: Social Adjustment, Economic Development, Health, Education, Political Behavior, Youth and Gender Relations. The collection contains published work from these fields.

Dorothy Porter Collection of Black American Literature
The Library holds an authorized facsimile of the original work, produced by microfilm-xerography by University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI. The collection includes biographies, histories, personal narratives, bibliographies, and fiction originally published as early as 1836.

Dr. Cecil Gloster’s Medical Collection
The collection comprises more than 60 books and pamphlets with emphasis on obstetrics and gynecology.

Dr. Edna Edet’s Memorial Collection
This is a personal book collection of the late MEC Professor Dr. Edna Edet. The collection was bequeathed to the CEIM Library. The subject areas covered are mostly musicology, Black history, and literature.

Esther Cooper Jackson Collection
This collection is a gift from an African-American civil rights activist. It contains more than 1000 books, mostly from the field of Black studies.

MEC Faculty Publications
The Faculty Publications Collection consists of published books written by past and present Medgar Evers College faculty and administrators.

National Black Writers Conference
The National Black Writers Conference established at Medgar Evers College first presented in 1986. In 2003, the Conference was set as an annual national event. The collection contains books by the panelists. The Archives & Special Collections unit also holds the audio and video recordings of the Conference sessions.

The Southern African Collection
This is a collection of journals, pamphlets, bulletins, leaflets, books, and papers from the early 1960s to the mid-1980s that cover economic, political, and social issues resulting from apartheid in Southern Africa. The collection, of approximately 120 linear feet, was acquired through the Mission Education and Cultivation Program Department of the United Methodist Church and the Church of the Intercession, both of New York City, NY.