Carnegie Library at FAMU

Carnegie Library at FAMU is a library and archive building on the campus of Florida A&M University with classical architecture featuring red brick and white columns. The two-story structure houses extensive collections on African American history with hundreds of thousands of archived documents and research materials.

The building was constructed in 1908 with funding from Andrew Carnegie and became the first Carnegie Library built on a Black land-grant college campus. This milestone marked an important shift in how educational institutions served Black students and scholars.

The archives inside hold materials that tell the stories of Black communities across the Southeast through documents and personal records. Walking through the collections, visitors encounter the voices and experiences of people whose histories shaped the region.

The archive is accessible during daytime hours on weekdays and offers visitors access to research materials and finding aids to navigate the collections. It helps to plan ahead about which records you want to explore, since the holdings are quite extensive.

The building has witnessed the growth of FAMU itself and stands today as a National Register of Historic Places site. Many visitors are surprised to discover how deeply this library's story is tied to the education of Black Americans.

Location: Florida

Architects: William Augustus Edwards

GPS coordinates: 30.42750,-84.28639

Latest update: December 12, 2025 12:06