BROWARD COUNTY, FL – Makiba Foster, Regional Manager of Broward County's African American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC), has been selected by Legacy South Florida Magazine as one of South Florida’s "50 Most Influential and Powerful Black Professionals of 2020."
Foster is included in Legacy South Florida’s May 2020 “Power” issue along with the magazine's other honorees, which include Broward County Library Director Kelvin Watson. The issue was distributed as an insert in the May 6th edition of the Sun Sentinel.
Joining Broward County Library in May 2019, Foster previously served as the Assistant Chief Librarian for the Schomburg Center for Research
in Black Culture, a research division of the New York Public Library. She holds two Master's Degrees, one in Library and Information Studies and a second in American Studies, with a concentration in African-American Popular Culture.
Her accomplishments include launching the Cultural Conversations at the Center series at AARLCC, which 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.
Foster manages the African American Research Library and Cultural Center, located at 2650 Sistrunk Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311. It is the third library of its kind in the United States with specialized archival collections dedicated to the study of the culture and history of African Americans and others of African descent. This 60,000-square-foot public library is extraordinary for the quantity and rarity of books on Black history and culture, and books written by Black authors.
Foster is also responsible for devising and securing funding for innovative, digital humanities projects such as Mapping LGBTQ St. Louis as well as establishing a groundbreaking web archiving program for the Schomburg Center. Foster has spoken on wide variety of topics, including social justice, historical literacy, digital collections, and adult learning. She is a contributor to top industry publications such as Library Management and Library Journal.
Legacy South Florida Magazine is a business/news publication serving South Florida’s Black community with insightful articles, information on business, careers, politics, education, culture and social commentary. It is distributed as an insert in the Sun-Sentinel newspaper.
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 locations annually. 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: May 6, 2020
MEDIA CONTACT: Catherine McElrath
Libraries Division
PHONE: 954-357-7402
EMAIL: cmcelrath@Broward.org