New Haven Green on May 1, 1970 showing a large crowd gathered in protest

New Haven’s 1970 May Day Protest

Protesters in the streets. National Guard troops deployed against U.S. citizens. Sounds like scenes ripped from recent headlines, but these events date back to May Day, 1970, when New Haven became a flashpoint in a nationwide struggle. Let us peer back through the mists of history and vagaries of memory to a time that seems so different than our own yet is all too familiar in many respects.  The sixties were a time … Continued

Celebrate Black Arts and Culture this February!

This February, the New Haven Free Public Library is proud to celebrate Black History Month with the theme Arts and Culture. Join us as we honor the achievements, creativity, and ongoing impact of Black artists on the humanities through history and today. We’re hosting events for all ages across our five locations, including engaging book … Continued

Check Out Guyanese Authors at the Ives Branch!

To kick off Black History Month, the New Haven Free Public Library has partnered up with the Ely Center of Contemporary Art to create a Guyanese author display to coincide with the Ely Center’s Stanwyck Cromwell exhibit opening this month!  Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a small Caribbean country located in the … Continued

On the left are silhouettes of three Black individuals in red, green, and yellow. Next to them in all capitals it says "Living Black History" The background is black.

Celebrate Living Black History with the New Haven Free Public Library this February!

This February the New Haven Free Public Library is honoring the historical achievements of Black Americans and recognizing their central role in our nation’s history, as well as celebrating the ongoing history that is being created every day. Join us for book discussions, film screenings, community gatherings, and much more. We hope to see you … Continued