Center for Brooklyn History

Center for Brooklyn History The Center for Brooklyn History (CBH) is the most expansive collection of Brooklyn history in the world.
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All reference questions should be directed to [email protected]. Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS) is now the Center for Brooklyn History at Brooklyn Public Library. By combining these institutions, the Center for Brooklyn History (CBH) becomes the most expansive collection of Brooklyn history in the world. The Center will democratize access to Brooklyn’s history and be dedicated to ex

panding and diversifying representation of the history of the borough by unifying resources and expertise, and broadening reach and impact throughout Brooklyn and beyond.

He brought Caribbean rhythms to American audiences. He stood fearlessly on the front lines of the civil rights movement....
09/01/2026

He brought Caribbean rhythms to American audiences. He stood fearlessly on the front lines of the civil rights movement. Harry Belafonte was more than an entertainer—he was a force for change. 🌍 ✨

Discover the full story of this extraordinary artist and activist with Joshua Jelly-Schapiro, author of Daylight Come: A Life of Harry Belafonte, joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Salamishah Tillet for an unforgettable conversation.

Monday, September 14, 2026
6:30–8 PM
Center for Brooklyn History

Learn More
🔗 https://bklynlib.org/4gz3RQX

The Per-Olof Ödman Swedish community photographs document the mostly Swedish-born, working class, and generally retired ...
08/31/2026

The Per-Olof Ödman Swedish community photographs document the mostly Swedish-born, working class, and generally retired Swedish Americans who lived and worked in Boerum Hill along Atlantic Avenue and Bay Ridge in the 1970s, as well as one book of the photographer's work titled De sista svenskarna. The photographs have been digitized and can be viewed by clicking here: https://bklynlib.org/4ixtlRg
[Fred and Mimmi Holmstrom], circa 1974, ODMAN_0012
[Miss Sweden pageant in Vasaparken], circa 1974, ODMAN_0108; [Older man standing on a city street], circa 1974, ODMAN_0001; [Sven, Märta, Karl and Roger Johanson and Oke Olson in Johanson's workshop on 65th Street], circa 1964, ODMAN_0105, Per-Olof Ödman Swedish community photographs

For decades, Rashad Robinson has helped shape some of the most influential social justice campaigns in the United States...
08/31/2026

For decades, Rashad Robinson has helped shape some of the most influential social justice campaigns in the United States. In his new book, From Presence to Power: How to Take On the Fights That Matter—and Win, Robinson draws on more than 20 years of organizing and advocacy to argue that visibility alone is never enough. 💪 ✊

Join him in conversation with acclaimed author and public policy expert Heather McGhee as they explore what it truly takes to create lasting change
Monday, September 28, 2026
6:30–8 PM
Center for Brooklyn History

Learn More
🔗 https://bklynlib.org/4bfZjgx

08/29/2026

Throwback to last Saturday's Community Day!
What was your favorite part? 🧶 💃

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Let the Abraham & Straus 100th anniversary campaign bring some love and cheer into this dreary Friday. [100th anniversar...
08/28/2026

Let the Abraham & Straus 100th anniversary campaign bring some love and cheer into this dreary Friday.
[100th anniversary menu and company history], 1965, box 1 folder 13; Abraham & Straus collection, Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History

Washington. Jefferson. Hamilton. Madison. We know these names. But there's a founder whose influence has been overlooked...
08/28/2026

Washington. Jefferson. Hamilton. Madison. We know these names. But there's a founder whose influence has been overlooked for far too long.

Discover the untold story with journalist Jesse Wegman and historian Alexis Coe as they explore "The Lost Founder"—revealing how one of the most influential architects of American democracy has been hiding in plain sight. ✨ 📚

Tuesday, September 15, 2026
6:30–8 PM
Center for Brooklyn History

Learn More 👈
🔗 https://bklynlib.org/3TsNzBd

Harry Belafonte was a groundbreaking singer and actor, a global star, and a fearless activist who put his fame and influ...
08/28/2026

Harry Belafonte was a groundbreaking singer and actor, a global star, and a fearless activist who put his fame and influence in service of the civil rights movement and struggles for justice around the world 🌍 ✨

Join us for an evening with Joshua Jelly-Schapiro, author of Daylight Come: A Life of Harry Belafonte, in conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning critic, scholar, and writer Salamishah Tillet.

Together, they'll explore Belafonte's remarkable legacy—from introducing Caribbean music to millions of Americans to his unwavering commitment to justice.

Monday, September 14, 2026
6:30–8 PM
Center for Brooklyn History

Learn More
🔗 https://bklynlib.org/4gz3RQX

08/27/2026

In the poem “The Centenarian’s Story,” first published during the Civil War, American poet Walt Whitman imagines an exchange between an aging veteran of the Battle of Brooklyn, and a young volunteer in today’s Fort Greene Park, who invites him to share more about what he remembers of the battle. 🇺🇸 📜
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To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Brooklyn, we’ve asked Brooklynites across the borough to return to the park, and to the site of the battle itself, and share Whitman’s words on what this history has meant to Brooklyn, and consider the legacy of the battle we inherit today.
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Full video coming soon! 👈
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📸
Speaker

08/27/2026

Check out our exhibition 'The Battle of Brooklyn: Fought and Remembered' all summer long! ☀️ ❤️
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Learn more about how to visit!
🔗 https://bklynlib.org/4rvingi

The future demands transformation. But how do we build systems that are both sustainable and just? 🌍 Join us for a vital...
08/26/2026

The future demands transformation. But how do we build systems that are both sustainable and just? 🌍

Join us for a vital conversation with Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, Daniel Aldana Cohen, Keller Easterling, and Billy Fleming as they examine the intersection of climate policy, architecture, planning, and law—and what it will take to create a more equitable tomorrow.

Wednesday, September 23, 2026
6:30–8 pm
Center for Brooklyn History

Save your spot today! 🔗 https://bklynlib.org/4wUT9u1

This program is presented in partnership with The Architectural League as part of their Architecture, Planning and International Law series, and the Climate and Community Institute.

Address

128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY
11201

Opening Hours

Wednesday 12pm - 5pm
Thursday 12pm - 5pm
Friday 12pm - 5pm
Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+17182224111

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