November 13, 2026
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Celebrate Black History Month 2027 with the Library by participating in our annual Black History Month Art Contest.
Celebrate Black History Month With The Library
The New Orleans Public Library celebrates Black History Month with our annual art competition, recommended reads, events, and more.
Black History Month Art Contest
The theme of our 2027 Black History Month Art Contest is From Print Culture to Digital Blackness.
Black Americans have long used print media, including newspapers, magazines, books, and pamphlets, to tell their own stories, preserve history, and celebrate Black life and achievement. Today, digital platforms and emerging technologies provide new opportunities to amplify Black voices, challenge dominant narratives, and participate in global conversations, while also presenting challenges such as cultural appropriation and systemic racial bias.
The 2027 contest theme explores how Black storytelling and self-expression have evolved from print publications to digital networks and artificial intelligence. It invites reflection on how these tools can empower communities, preserve culture, and shape the future.
Create an original artwork exploring Black print culture, contemporary digital Blackness, or the connection between the two. Some questions you might ask yourself when thinking of the theme:
- Who would you put on the cover of a book or magazine about Black history or culture?
- Imagine you are creating a new print or online resource dedicated to Black history. What would it look like?
- If you had a news publication or digital archive, how would you want future generations to remember Black Americans in the 21st Century?
The contest deadline is Saturday, February 27. Students in grades K – 12 can enter the contest either online or by downloading the paper form and turning it in, along with their art, at any Library location.
For inspiration and resources about black print and digital media, check out our timeline.
Congratulations to the winners of our 2026 Black History Month Art Contest: Marlowe Moon Rendall, Xaeda Braud, Carlynn Stancel, Adacia Anderson, Serenity Williams, Ari Maddox, Joséphine Novod, Marilyn Frater, Arleah Mitchell, Montrell Dent, Oscar Chanin, and Graeme Tett-McCall.
Events
Recommended Reads for Black History Month
Black History Month Blog Posts
Discover stories about the New Orleans Public Library and the City of New Orleans through the lens of Black History Month. Click on the photos below to read along. Do you have a story to tell? Email us at impact@nolalibrary.org!
Featured Databases
BlackPast is an online resource documenting the history and contributions of people of African ancestry worldwide. It features biographies, historical timelines, articles, and educational resources.
ProQuest Black Studies is a research database featuring historical documents, newspapers, scholarly articles, and multimedia resources. It explores Black history, culture, politics, and social movements.
Chronicling America provides free access to digitized historical newspapers from across the United States. Users can explore historical events and African American experiences through original newspaper coverage
Black Print Culture Timeline
This timeline follows prominent Black publications from the early Black press through twentieth-century magazines. Each entry includes a link to a historical cover or collection record and a source link, so educators can verify the image and its context.
1827: Freedom's Journal
The first newspaper owned, operated, and written by African Americans in the United States. Its front page is a useful visual example of the beginnings of the Black press.
For educators: Child-friendly visual: historical newspaper page; mostly text. The image page identifies the front page as dated June 22, 1827.
Source: Wisconsin Historical Society collection record
October 1914: The Crisis
The October 1914 “Children’s Number” featured a young girl on its cover and photographs of African American children inside. It is a particularly appropriate selection for a young audience.
For educators: Child-friendly visual: the Smithsonian describes the cover as a portrait of a young girl. The object record lists the image as a public domain.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
January 1920: The Brownies’ Book
A pioneering magazine created for Black children, with stories, photographs, art, games, and messages of pride and belonging.
For educators: Child-friendly visual: the publication was designed specifically for children. The Library of Congress article reproduces the March 1920 cover; the linked file page shows the January 1920 first-issue cover.
Source: Library of Congress article about The Brownies’ Book
February 1926: Opportunity
A journal of the National Urban League that helped showcase Harlem Renaissance writers, artists, and ideas. The February 1926 cover was designed by artist Aaron Douglas.
For educators: Child-friendly visual: an illustrated industrial scene showing workers at a forge. It is historical art, not a photograph of violence.
Source: NCpedia (image credited to the New York Public Library Digital Collections)
December 1948: Ebony
A major Black general-interest magazine covering culture, family life, business, health, and current events. This issue features a girl in a red hooded jacket holding a small dog.
For educators: visual: child with a puppy. Important: the Smithsonian record states that permission is required to reuse the cover image.
Source: Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
June 16, 1966: Jet
A widely read weekly magazine known for concise reporting, photographs, entertainment coverage, and stories about Black life and current events.
For educators: Child-friendly review: check the full cover and headlines at the linked issue index before selecting it for children. The index is a secondary cover reference, not the publisher’s archive.
Source: Cover Browser issue index (includes June 16, 1966)
December 1980: Essence
A magazine founded in 1970 with a focus on Black women, culture, beauty, lifestyle, and empowerment. The December 1980 cover features Diana Ross.
For educators: Child-friendly visual: celebrity portrait. Review the cover text and the surrounding page before sharing it with younger students.
Source: Essence official website
November 10, 2026
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Hex Windham is a local musician and songwriter whose 2024 album “Sunroom Sessions,” is featured on Crescent City Sounds.
October 30, 2026
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November is Native American Heritage Month and the Library has tons of books, movies, programs, and more to help you celebrate.
2 thoughts on “Celebrate Black History Month With The Library”
What types of contributions are participants encouraged to highlight in their artwork?
For the 2026 contest, students are welcome to highlight any of the countless contributions young Black trailblazers and activists have made to New Orleans and the United States. For inspiration, check out the children’s and young adult book recommendations in this blog post, or our featured database, HistoryMakers.