One of my favorite items in the Archives is a book I discovered this month, “In all my years: Portraits of older blacks in Champaign-Urbana" by Raymond Bial. The book combines stunning black and white portrait photography with vignettes of local African-American lives. Published in 1983 it captured the individual voices and experiences of black life in Champaign-Urbana that were passing into history. It is a beautiful book, and is available in both the permanent Archives collection and the circulating library collection. I encourage you to take a look.
Other related items of interest:
- African American Community Leaders in Champaign County Flickr album
- Oral Histories (many of the individuals profiled in "In All My Years" also have recorded histories)
- New exhibit on African-American history and contributions to Champaign County on the first floor of the library by the café.
- Sherrie, Archives Librarian