About AARLCC
Founded in 2002, the African American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC) stands as a flagship institution within the Broward County Library (BCL) system and a powerful cultural anchor in the historic Sistrunk Corridor of Northwest Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Conceived as both an educational resource and a community beacon, AARLCC is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing the history and cultural expressions of people of African, African American, and Caribbean descent. Today, it serves as one of the region’s most significant centers for research, cultural engagement, and public learning, reflecting its deep roots in the community it was built to serve.
AARLCC exists because of the vision and persistence of one man: Samuel F. Morrison. A former director of Broward County Library, Morrison believed passionately in the need for a world-class library and cultural center created by and about African Americans. His goal was not simply to build another local branch library; he envisioned a state of the art facility that would elevate Black history and culture while offering vital public services—research resources, lifelong learning opportunities, technology training, community gatherings, and cultural events. Morrison’s conviction was strong enough to inspire partners across the county and rally broad community support. His determination transformed what once seemed an ambitious dream into a landmark institution of national significance.
Morrison’s career with Broward County Library spanned more than three decades. He first joined the system in 1974 as assistant to the director and later advanced to deputy director. In 1987, he left to serve as Chicago’s chief librarian before returning three years later to lead Broward County Library as its director. In that role, he guided BCL into becoming one of the nation’s premier public library systems—an achievement crowned by the creation of AARLCC.
The spark for AARLCC was ignited during Morrison’s visit to the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American History and Culture in Atlanta, located in the historic heart of that city’s Black community. That experience affirmed his belief that Broward County deserved a similar cultural and historical resource. At the time, only two major research libraries in the United States were dedicated to African American heritage: Auburn Avenue and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York City. Morrison envisioned Broward County’s facility as a third institution of comparable stature—one that would center the African Diaspora in the Americas while embracing a global perspective on knowledge, literacy, and cultural exchange.
The library that ultimately emerged from this collective effort has far exceeded its original promise. Since opening its doors, AARLCC has become a vibrant hub for cultural enrichment, public learning, and community engagement. The center offers classes in computer literacy and technology, hosts educational workshops, and presents recreational and cultural programming for all ages. Its gallery and exhibit spaces have showcased more than 38 major exhibitions, while its stages, meeting rooms, and public spaces have welcomed international speakers, acclaimed authors, artists, scholars, and nearly a million visitors.
AARLCC is home to an archival repository that houses collections of national and local significance. The Alex Haley Collection came complete with eight unfinished manuscripts by the author as well as photos and memorabilia from the Roots mini-series. Additional historic collections include the Council of Elders Collection, which preserves the oral history and tradition of Broward County’s African American pioneers, the Sixto Campano Sheet Music Collection, and the Dorothy Porter Wesley Collection, which includes art, women’s studies and reference books related to Africans in the United States, Africa, Brazil, and the Caribbean
More than a library, AARLCC represents the power of vision, perseverance, and community partnership. It stands today as a vital cultural institution—one that honors the past, serves the present, and continues to inspire future generations across Broward County and beyond.
aarlcc.broward.org | aarlcc@broward.org | 954-357-6282
250 Years of Black Life & Culture
Festival Schedule At-A-Glance
Presented by the AFRICAN-AMERICAN RESEARCH LIBRARY AND CULTURAL CENTER (AARLCC)
Broward County Library 2650 Sistrunk Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2026
TIME
EVENT/LOCATION
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Progress & Preservation: A Symposium on Sistrunk's Past, Present & Future
The Daisy, 1033 NW Sixth Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM An Evening with Dr. Karsonya "Kaye" Whitehead AARLCC, Auditorium
7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Eat. Drink. Read. Reception & Concert featuring vocalist LaVie and the Art Prevails Project ($75)
AARLCC, Gallery B
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2026
TIME
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
EVENT /LOCATION
Rail-to-Roots: A Tri-Rail Transit Experience into the 2026 AAHF ($5, 20 seats only) Tri-Rail to AARLCC (shuttle provided)
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Dr. Anthony Etim Dixon: Documentary Film on Black Seminole Freedom Struggle AARLCC, Gallery B
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM My First Library Card Celebration AARLCC, Second Floor Children's Room
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Karen Gay Napier & Dr. Sharon Austin: Children's Author Storytime AARLCC, Seminar Room #2
Festival Schedule At-A-Glance
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2026
TIME
EVENT /LOCATION
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Dr. Bruce Strouble & Judge Woody Clermont: Adult Author Session
AARLCC, Seminar Room #1
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Dr. Randal Maurice Jelks: My America - Langston Hughes on Democracy
AARLCC, Gallery B
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Mike Brennen: Diaspora & the Stories We Carry
AARLCC, Seminar Room #1
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Till It's Done: A Teen Poetry Workshop
AARLCC, Seminar Room #2
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Refusal as Resistance: A Conversation with Dr. Kellie Carter-Jackson
AARLCC, Gallery B
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Shelly Cameron & R. Manasseh Thornton: Leadership, Growth & Fatherhood
AARLCC, Seminar Room #1
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Djamil Ninsoo & Dr. Sherrie Poitier-Liscombe: Children's Author Storytime
AARLCC, Seminar Room #2
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Mandy Mirette & Marie Pierre: Children's Storytime
AARLCC, Seminar Room #2
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Emmanuel George: Broward Chronicles & the Stories We Must Not Lose
AARLCC, Seminar Room #1
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Selma is Now and the Fight for the Ballot is Ours: A Panel on Voting Rights
AARLCC, Gallery B
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM The Bryan Carter Sextet
AARLCC, Auditorium
For more information, contact aarlcc@broward.org or 954-357-6224
PROGRAM LISTING
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2026
An Evening with Dr. Karsonya “Kaye” Whitehead
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: AARLCC, Auditorium
Join us for the opening event of the 2026 Africana Arts & Humanities Festival featuring Dr. Karsonya (Kaye) Wise Whitehead, President of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). As President of the organization founded by Carter G. Woodson, Dr. Whitehead plays a leading role in shaping national discourse around Black history and its public interpretation. She is a professor at Loyola University Maryland and a widely sought-after speaker on equity, heritage, and storytelling.
Eat. Drink. Read. Reception & Concert
Time: 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Location: AARLCC
Tickets: $75
Enjoy an evening of music, food, and fun featuring vocalist LaVie and the Art Prevails Project to raise funds supporting the Africana Arts & Humanities Festival.. With her captivating stage presence and infectious personality, LaVie is a shining example of living life to the fullest. Her name, “La Vie,” meaning “The Life” in French, perfectly embodies her mission to encourage and empower people. LaVie enthralls her audience with every performance and draws inspiration from her Caribbean heritage. This ticketed event, presented by the Friends of AARLCC, includes a signed copy of a book with each ticket. Ages 21+. The proceeds benefit the Friends of AARLCC and support making the festival free and open to the public. Come groove with us for this festive closing reception to cap off the first evening of the festival!
Dr. Karsonya “Kaye” Whitehead
LaVie
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2026
Dr. Anthony Etim Dixon: Documentary Film on Black Seminole Freedom Struggle
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: AARLCC
Historian and filmmaker Dr. Anthony Etim Dixon presents a documentary tracing the lives and legacies of Black Seminoles, maroon communities, and other Africans in Florida who resisted enslavement and fought for freedom. Dr. Dixon is Founder and President of Archival and Historical Research Associates and has devoted his career to documenting Black experiences and making Africana history accessible to the public.
My First Library Card Celebration
Time: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Location: AARLCC, Second Floor Children’s Room
The African American Research Library and Cultural Center invites children in Pre-K through 5th Grade to celebrate a major milestone: their first library card! This FREE event celebrates America’s 250th anniversary with the theme “We, Too, Sing America!” Activities include Children’s Bingo, Scavenger Hunt, Presidential Knowledge Challenge, and much more. Come dressed in red, white, and blue!
Karen Gay Napier & Dr. Sharon Austin: Children’s Author Storytime
Time: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: AARLCC, Seminar Room #2
Join children’s authors Karen Gay Napier and Dr. Sharon D. Wright Austin for an engaging storytime. Karen Gay Napier will share stories from The Sky, The Moon and Me
Dr. Anthony Etim Dixon
Karen Gay Napier Dr. Sharon D. Wright Austin
and The Black Butterfly. Dr. Sharon Austin, Professor of Political Science at the University of Florida, will share her book “Allan Learns to Talk,” a heartfelt story educating children and adults about speech delays and nonverbal autism with compassion and hope.
Dr. Bruce Strouble & Judge Woody Clermont: Adult Author Session
Time: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: AARLCC, Seminar Room #1
Dr. Bruce Strouble presents By Any Dreams Necessary: Anti-Racist Strategies for Sustainability, Resilience, and Environmental Justice, offering transformative strategies for African American communities.
Judge Woody R. Clermont presents The Black Wall Streets of America: Towards a Black Stock Exchange, tracing the rise of historic Black business districts and presenting concrete strategies for modern wealth creation through cooperative ownership and Black-led financial institutions.
Dr. Randal Maurice Jelks: My America - Langston Hughes on Democracy
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: AARLCC, Gallery B
Dr. Randal Maurice Jelks delivers a revelatory portrait of Langston Hughes, exploring his enduring vision of democracy. Dr. Jelks is a professor, documentary producer, and the author of four books, including the award-winning Benjamin Elijah Mays: Schoolmaster of the Movement and Letters to Martin: Meditations on Democracy in Black America.
Judge Woody R. Clermont
Dr. Randal Maurice Jelks
Dr. Bruce Strouble
PROGRAM LISTING
Mike Brennen:
The Stories We Carry
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: AARLCC, Seminar Room #1
Join author Mike Brennen for an engaging discussion exploring the powerful narratives we carry.
Mike Brennen, author of Eastern God, Western Winds and Georgie Pie, offers a creative and heartfelt examination of Black social culture through a sharp yet intimate lens.
Till It’s Done: A Teen Poetry Workshop
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: AARLCC, Seminar Room #2
A hands-on poetry workshop for teens led by Hued Songs.
Poet Arsimmer McCoy will guide participants through the codes found within call and response, simple blues chords that act as maps, and calls for rebellion and evolution — culminating in a collective song creation that transforms personal experiences into powerful expression.
Mike Brennen
Arsimmer McCoy
Refusal as Resistance: A Conversation with Dr. Kellie Carter-Jackson
Time: 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Location: AARLCC, Gallery B
Award-winning historian Dr. Kellie Carter-Jackson discusses We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance. Dr. Carter Jackson is the Michael and Denise ’68 Associate Professor of Africana Studies and Chair of the Africana Studies Department at Wellesley College. Her book examines how violence—in all its forms—has been used by Black people to resist slavery and its afterlives, providing a provocative and ultimately inspiring re-evaluation of how Black Americans have fought for dignity, equality, and full humanity.
Shelly Cameron & R. Manasseh Thornton: Leadership, Growth & Fatherhood
Time: 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Location: AARLCC, Seminar Room #1
Dr. Shelly Cameron, Founder and President of Global Coaching Corner, discusses leadership and personal growth through her books Green Light and The Green Light Factor. R. Manasseh Thornton presents Uncharted Territory: A Father’s Journey, an honest and deeply personal account of one man’s journey as a stay-at-home dad navigating the good, bad, and ugly sides of parenthood, addressing the unique experience of raising Black boys in America.
Dr. Shelly Cameron R. Manasseh Thornton
Dr. Kellie Carter-Jackson
PROGRAM LISTING
Djamil Ninsoo & Dr. Sherrie Poitier-Liscombe: Children’s Author Storytime
Time: 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Location: AARLCC, Seminar Room #2
Jamaican cultural historian Djamil Ninsoo shares stories from Eva, My Nani Ji and ABC’s for the Jamerican Child, celebrating Jamaican family life and cultural heritage. Dr. Sherrie Poitier-Liscombe shares
The Adventures of Sherrie and Chubbie, a heartwarming series that teaches children core values and celebrates the joy, love, and resilience found in everyday life.
Mandy Mirette & Marie Pierre: Children’s Storytime
Time: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: AARLCC, Seminar Room #2
Children’s authors Mandy Mirette and Marie Pierre share magical storytimes. Mandy Mirette presents her debut book But Can You Wait? following Hannah Rose’s
sweet adventure about learning patience, and debuts her new March 2026 release Do You Have Courage?
Marie Pierre is a prolific author with TWELVE magical books including the Princess Layla series, The ABC Adventures, Kid’s Day, My Crazy Hair, and The Deadly Meteor Shower.
Djamil Ninsoo Dr. Sherrie Poitier-Liscombe
Marie Pierre
Mandy Mirette
Emmanuel George: Broward Chronicles & the Stories
We Must Not Lose
Time: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: AARLCC, Seminar Room #1
Dominican-American archivist, filmmaker, and arts organizer Emmanuel George presents Broward Chronicles: A Retrospective, Volume 1 — a rich, community-driven collection of stories, people, places, and events across South, Central, and Northern Broward County. Emmanuel is the founder of the Black Orchid Foundation and steward of the Emmanuel George Collection at AARLCC.
Selma is Now and the Fight for the Ballot is Ours: A Panel on Voting Rights
Time: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: AARLCC
The historic struggle for the Voting Rights Act is not over — it is being fought right now. This panel connects the sacrifices that secured federal protections to today’s renewed fights over ballot access and democratic participation.
Moderated by Bacardi Jackson, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida, with panelist Daniel Tilley, Esq., Legal Director of the ACLU of Florida.
Emmanuel George
Moderator: Bacardi Jackson
Daniel Tilley, Esq.
PROGRAM LISTING
The Bryan Carter Sextet
Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Location: AARLCC, Auditorium
Grammy and Tony Award-winning jazz ensemble led by Bryan Carter, drummer, vocalist, composer, arranger, orchestrator, and bandleader. A Juilliard graduate who has performed with McCoy Tyner, Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Roberts, Kenny Barron, Michael Feinstein, and Kurt Elling. Carter made history as co-orchestrator for Broadway’s “Some Like It Hot,” sweeping all three major awards in a single season. The sextet explores a vast repertoire from jazz standards to classics from Ray Charles and Burt Bacharach.
ALL FREE EVENTS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. REGISTRATION IS REQUESTED TO HELP US PLAN.
The 2026 Africana Arts & Humanities Festival is presented by Broward County Library’s African American Research Library and Cultural Center.
For more information, visit the AARLCC or register online via the festival’s Eventbrite collection or register at aarlcc.eventbrite.com
Bryan Carter
Programs printed with support from the Friends of AARLCC and Wayne & Lucretia Weiner.
A Service of the Broward County Board of County Commissioners
