BROWARD COUNTY, FL - Broward County Library presents a free program series, "Cultural Conversations at the Center," with guest speaker Dr. Aisha Johnson-Jones, from 6:30 to 8:30PM on Thursday, April 2nd at the African American Research Library & Cultural Center (AARLCC), 2650 Sistrunk Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311, 954-357-6282.

 In honor of National Library Week, Cultural Conversations at the Center features library scholar Dr. Johnson-Jones, who will speak on the topic of her book, "The African American Struggle for Library Equality: The Untold Story of the Julius Rosenwald Fund Library Program.” Her work reveals the nearly forgotten philanthropic efforts of Julius Rosenwald, a courageous Jewish American human rights activist and former president of Sears, Roebuck and Company, who raised the literacy level of Black youth in the years 1917-1938 through libraries which he established in many of the 5,300 rural schools and buildings that he built in 15 Southern states.

Dr. Aisha Johnson-Jones is a librarian and educator of Southern intellectual history and is the Supervisory Archivist at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. Passionate about library equality, she has created programs for the professional development of African American library staff as well as her Breeding Scholars Initiative that introduces high school and college students to archival research. Her talk will be followed by an audience question-and-answer segment.

Cultural Conversations at the Center takes place on the first Thursday of every month at AARLCC and features intellectually stimulating programs with thought and industry leaders, scholars, educators, filmmakers, artists and others whose work celebrates and illuminates aspects of Black history and culture.

Sponsorship for the Cultural Conversations at the Center is provided by the Friends of the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, the Westside Gazette, and Infinity Transportation. For additional information on the upcoming series, contact Makiba Foster at mjfoster@broward.org or 954-357-6176. Cultural Conversations at the Center is a free program and registration via Eventbrite is requested.

About Broward County Libraries Division
Broward County Libraries Division, named 2015 Library of the Year by the Florida Library Association, was founded in 1974 and is the largest library system in Florida by square footage and one of the busiest, with more than 7.5 million walk-in customers visiting its 38 locationsannually. Broward County Libraries Division provides convenient access to a full range of innovative and cost-effective services that satisfy the changing needs of the people of Broward County for information, education and recreation. Visit our website, Broward.org/Library, or follow Libraries on Facebook and Twitter.

DATE: January 21, 2020
MEDIA CONTACT: Catherine McElrath
Libraries Division
PHONE: 954-357-7402
EMAIL: cmcelrath@Broward.org

DATE: January 14, 2020
MEDIA CONTACT: Catherine McElrath
Libraries Division
PHONE: 954-357-7402