On Friday, November 4, 2022, the Leatherby Libraries and Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion celebrated the launch of the Black Book Nook on the first floor of the library.

The Black Book Nook Collection fosters education and community engagement with Black history, thought, literature, and culture. The Black Book Nook currently has over 250 rotating books, and the collection is still growing. A complete list of titles is in our library catalog.

The idea started when Dr. Reg Chhen Stewart, the Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Chapman, led a collaboration between Iowa State University and Ames Public library for a virtual black book nook. He presented his work to the Leatherby Libraries, and the library decided to bring a physical Black Book Nook to life on the first floor! Regarding the new addition, Dr. Stewart stated, “the Black Book Nook serves to reward the natural curiosity I find so ever present in the Chapman University students I meet.”

Also speaking during the launch was Misty Levingston, Director for Black Excellence and Achievement. During her speech, Misty quoted the late author Toni Morrison: “Books are a form of political action. Books are knowledge. Books are reflections. Books change your mind.”

To learn more about the diversity, equity and inclusion efforts of the Leatherby Libraries, check out our website.

A special thanks to Leatherby Librarians Shahrzad Khosrowpour and Margaret Puentes for bringing this collection to life.

In addition to the Black Book Nook, the Leatherby Libraries is pleased to offer expanded coverage within the ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Black Newspapers database. Each of the ten newspapers in this collection has coverage up until 2010, the most recent year available in this archive. This update adds 5 to 35 years of coverage for each newspaper. Below is a list of each newspaper and its coverage:

  • Atlanta Daily World: 1931-2010 (+7 years)
  • Baltimore Afro-American: 1893-1988 (+22 years)
  • Chicago Defender: 1910-1975 (+35 years)
  • Cleveland Call and Post: 1934-1991 (+19 years)
  • Los Angeles Sentinel: 1934-2005 (+5 years)
  • New York Amsterdam News: 1922-1993 (+17 years)
  • Norfolk Journal and Guide: 1916-2003 (+7 years)
  • Philadelphia Tribune: 1912-2001 (+9 years)
  • Pittsburgh Courier: 1911-2002 (+8 years)

The Michigan Chronicle already had access from 1936 to 2010, and thus its coverage has not changed.

Please contact the Chair of Resources & Scholarly Communications, Kristin Laughtin-Dunker, at laughtin@chapman.edu or Sociology Librarian and Coordinator of Collection Development, Margaret Puentes, at mpuentes@chapman.edu for any questions regarding the ProQuest Historical Newspapers.

The Leatherby Libraries’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts align with the Chapman University Strategic Plan for Diversity & Inclusion, fostering a diverse and inclusive campus climate.