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Installation view of Straight Flexin', No Plexin'.

June 1 - November 9, 2024

Once considered a fad by early detractors, hip hop honored its 50th anniversary on August 11, 2023. Promoters, historians, fans, libraries, and media outlets across the United States sponsored celebrations, events, and concerts to pay homage to the art form. However, the global impact of hip hop is undeniable and worthy of celebration beyond this milestone.

Straight Flexin’, No Plexin’: A Hip Hop Exhibit, on view at Vinson Neighborhood Library, includes memorabilia, artwork, and photos of hip hop artists and creatives from Houston, Atlanta, New York, and California (Bay Area). The items on display are from the Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning (CERCL) Hip Hop Archival Collection, housed at Rice University's Woodson Research Center at Fondren Library, and from private collectors.

Although 2023 marked the 50th birthday of hip hop, the growing music genre is still young and has more milestones to reach. This exhibit serves as a reminder that as the culture continues to evolve and influence the world, it will be showcased and celebrated. Yes, yes y’all.

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Space for Us: Afrofuturism and the Poetic Imagination - OPENING RECEPTION MARCH 20

MSS0137-PH018 Courtesy African American History Research Center at the Gregory Campus, Houston Public Library March 21 - June 7, 2025The Row House Galleries at the Gregory Campus | 1206 and 1208 Victor Street Space for Us: Afrofuturism and the Poetic Imagination is a multidisciplinary exhibition that seeks to usher in a new Houston by exploring both the historical and contemporary demands of organizers, poets, archivists, and community members within this city. Pairing photos and materials from the archives of the African American History Research Center at the Gregory Campus with multilingual poems exploring ideas of home, community and imagined futures, audiences will experience the urgency of worldbuilding, using the tools we have and the tools we create, to actualize a liberated Houston. Alongside these poems and archives, a poetic tapestry of interviews from Black community leaders across Greater Houston will showcase the present organizing efforts that move through, beyond, and alongside the page to create the Houston we deserve. Through this exploration of poetry, preservation and movement building, Space for Us is a poetic manifesto of this audacious city we aim to see in our lifetime and long after.Facilitated as part of Aris Kian Brown's community outreach project as 2023-2025 Houston Poet Laureate, this exhibition aims to challenge the boundaries between art and organizing, protest and poetics, imagination and demand. Audiences will be able to engage with the demands of Houstonians in real time, allowing the urgency of poetry to serve as a tool for contemporary organizing, worldbuilding, and language justice for communities in Houston fighting for all marginalized people. JOIN US - Opening Reception - March 20, 2025 | 6:00 - 8:00 PM – Rap & Poetry Workshops for TeensSaturday, April 122:00 - 3:00 PMPark Place Regional LibraryRegister HereTuesday, April 1510:00 - 11:00 AMShepard-Acres Home Neighborhood LibraryRegister HereTuesday, April 153:00 - 4:00 PMMoody Neighborhood LibraryRegister HereFriday, April 253:00 - 4:00 PMHeights Neighborhood LibraryRegister Here EXPLORE SPECIAL COLLECTIONS Ben Desoto Photographs Collection (MSS 0118)The Ben Desoto Photographs Collection documents his career in Houston as a freelance photographer and as a photojournalist for the Houston Chronicle and Houston Post from the 1980s to 2020s. This collection contains over 30,000 photographic items including photographs, negatives and slides, newspapers, and notebooks that depict life in minority communities and the early stages of gentrification in historically Black neighborhoods and hip hop and rock music during the 1980s and early 1990s. His work captures Freedmen's Town, the Allen Parkway Village and Direct Exposure youth projects along with local social problems including homelessness and poverty in his Understanding Poverty Project.Eliza Johnson Home for Aged Negroes Collection (RG 0047)The Eliza Johnson Home for Aged Negroes began as a dream of Anna Dupree. Dupree moved to Houston from Galveston in 1916. When the Eliza Johnson Home opened in June 1952, it was largely due to her determination and resources, as well as support and encouragement of her husband, Clarence (C.A.) and others in the black community. The goal of the Home - located on a 35-acre tract off Chocolate Bayou Road in the historically black neighborhood of Sunnyside - was basic: to provide a place “where our old people enjoy kind, human care and freedom from fear and want in their remaining days.”Black Photographic Collection (MSS 0137)This collection is composed of mostly photographic images having to do with African Americans in the Houston area from 1896 to 1968. Except for its singular focus on images of African Americans, this collection is miscellaneous. Several of the photographs are of Jack Johnson, the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion and a Juneteenth Parade float. Some images are tintypes of well-dressed people in Third Ward and downtown Houston during the early 20th century. CHECK OUT THE CATALOG AdultAnastacia-Reneé, Here in the (Middle) of NowhereBrookins, KB, Freedom House: PoemsDuplan, Anais, Blackspace: On the Poetics of an AfrofutureHersey, Tricia, Rest is Resistance: A ManifestoNational Museum of African American History and Culture, Afrofuturism: A History of Black FuturesZepeda, Gwendolyn (ed.), Houston Noir Works by past Poet LaureatesDavidson, Robin, City that Ripens on the Tree of the WorldDavidson, Robin, Luminous OtherMouton, Deborah D.E.E.P., Black Chameleon: Memory, Womanhood, and MythSchwartz, Leslie Contreras, From the Womb of Sky and EarthZepeda, Gwendolyn, Better With You HereZepeda, Gwendolyn, Falling in Love With Fellow Prisoners: PoemsZepeda, Gwendolyn, Houston We Have a ProblemaZepeda, Gwendolyn, Monsters, Zombies + Addicts: Poems...

Mapping Texas and Houston: Selections from the Houston History Research Center - CLOSING MARCH 24!

Detail of Girolamo Ruscelli, Nueva Hispania Tabula Nova, 1574. Courtesy of the Houston History Research Center, Houston Public Library. June 12, 2024 - March 24, 2025The Julia Ideson Building | The Dr. James and Betty Key Map Room Celebrating the opening of the Dr. James and Betty Key Map Room, Mapping Texas and Houston: Selections from the Houston History Research Center highlights some of the over 2000 maps at the Houston History Research Center. The maps have found their way into the collection via individual donations, as part of archival collections, and through the state document depository program. The new Key Map Room is a dedicated gallery space for displaying maps of Houston, Texas, and beyond, offering a unique opportunity for the public viewing of these beautiful and educational pieces of history.This exhibition explores the changing shapes of Texas and Houston, starting with 16th century world maps from the European Age of Discovery. As explorers traversed the region, our understanding of the shape of the Texas coastline and the geography of its landforms and waterways grew more accurate. The maps record the dramatic evolution of the state’s boundaries through colonization, revolutions, and US statehood. EXPLORE SPECIAL COLLECTIONSMapsHistorical maps of Houston and surrounding areas, digitized items include the earliest map of Houston, Gail and Thomas H. Borden's “Plan of the City of Houston,” and the 1869 map by W. E. Wood.Dr. Claude Elliott Texana Collection (MSS 0048)Dr. Elliott was formerly a professor of history of San Marcos Teacher's College, San Marcos, Texas, and was a collector of Texana for many years. The Elliott collection consists of 23 early Texas documents which Dr. Elliott considered to be the finest in his collection. These documents will be of value to researchers on the land policies of Mexico and the Republic of Texas.Robert P. Boyce Papers (MSS 0038)Robert P. Boyce (1816-1889) was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and claimed his memoirs to “come of a hard headed race.” He was a veteran of both the Texas Revolution and the U.S. Civil War. An important milestone during his military career transpired when he was assigned to guard Santa Anna following the Texas victory at the Battle of San Jacinto. This collection is comprised of a scrapbook, which contains newspaper clippings and mementos, a handwritten memoir and corresponding typescripts, maps, and photographs from the life of Robert P. Boyce. SUGGESTED READINGBryan, James P., Texas in Maps, 1961Fehrenbach, T. R., Lone Star: A History of Texas and the Texans, 2000Francaviglia, Richard V., The Shape of Texas: Maps as Metaphors, 1995Harrigan, Stephen, Big Wonderful Thing, 2019Jackson, Jack, Mapping Texas and the Gulf Coast: The Contributions of Saint-Denis, Oliván, and Le Maire, 1990Martin, James C. and Martin, Robert Sidney, Maps of Texas and the Southwest, 1513 – 1900, 1984, 1999Martin, Robert Sidney and Martin, James C., Contours of Discovery: Printed Maps Delineating the Texas and Southwestern Chapters of Cartographic History of North America, 1513-1900, 1982Reinhartz, Dennis, The Mapping of the Entradas into the Greater Southwest, 1998Texas Christian University, Center for Texas Studies, Going to Texas: Five Centuries of Texas Maps, 2007The University of Texas at Arlington Libraries, The Shifting Shapes of Early Texas: Some Highlights from UTA Libraries Special Collections, 2022Virga, Vincent, Texas: Mapping the Lone Star State through History, 2010 This exhibition is generously supported by Houston Public Library, Houston Public Library Foundation, and City of Houston....

2024 Citywide African American Artists Exhibition

Mathieu Jean Baptiste, N L, 2024, acrylic and oil on panel | Afi Ese, Sir Charles, II, 2024, oil on canvas | Mathieu Jean Baptiste, N L pt2, 2024, acrylic and oil on panel January 25 - April 25, 2025The African American History Research Center at the Gregory Campus | GalleryandCentral Library | 1st Floor Gallery The biennial Citywide African American Artists Exhibition is a collaboration between the University Museum at Texas Southern University and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The exhibition offers all artists of the African Diaspora in the Greater Houston area the opportunity to show their work to a broader public and art-collecting community.The 2024 exhibition was curated by Christopher Blay, director of public programs at the National Juneteenth Museum. It was on view at the Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston from December 12, 2024, through January 12, 2025. The 2024 Artist prizes were juried by Dr. Laura Augusta, Jane Dale Owen Director & Chief Curator of Blaffer Art Museum; Christina Grubitz, Curator at Houston Public Library; and Christopher Paul, Houston artist. 1st Prize: Sir Charles, II by Afi Ese2nd Prize: Green with Envy by Jon Gilcrist3rd Prize: Circle of Trust by Eddie Filer, Jr.Special Mentions: Fragmentation I by Ebony, Opulence V by Jaymes Earl, All Night Long / Around the Way Girl by Quentin PaceCurator's Choice Award: Jesus Pieces by Christopher Crooke5A (MFAH African American Art Advisory Association) Choice Award: Our Bookcase by Patricia Henderson Please visit both locations to see artwork by Shawn Artis, Mathieu Jean Baptiste, Mikal Boston, Rodney D. Butler, Sinden Collier, Christopher Crooke, John NEGRASSO Duncan, Jaymes Earl, Ebony, Anne Edwards, Afi Ese, Eddie Filer, Jr., Melissa Fontenette-Mitchell, Sara Ford, Marc Furi, Jon Gilchrist, Karl E. Hall, Patricia Henderson, Prof. Charles Holmes a.k.a. Hakeem Hassan, Monae Jacobs, Dannye Jones, Christie Leday, C. M. Lewis, Terry Madison, Quentin Pace, Romeo Clay Robinson, Daniel Sam, Shunshieva, La'Toya Smith, Oluseyi Soyege, Kamryn Sterling, Roy Vinson Thomas, Vonola Joseph Trinidad, Vernon, and Rickale West. EXPLORE SPECIAL COLLECTIONSOscar and Maudene McNary Collection (MSS 0022)The Oscar and Maudene McNary Collection reflects the lives of Oscar and Maudene McNary as art collectors and art consultants, and the many artists they have known both professionally and personally over the years. This collection, which dates from 1915 to 2008, consists of news clippings, correspondence, programs, photographs, art books, art related publications, and art and artifacts created by African American artists including John Biggers, Carroll Harris Simms, Jacob Lawrence, and Robert Neal Williams. CHECK OUT THE CATALOG Kid/JuvenileAmes, Lee J., Draw the Draw 50 Way: How to Draw Cats, Puppies, Horses, Buildings, Birds, Aliens, Boats, Trains, and Everything Else Under the SunCrilley, Mark, The Drawing Lesson: A Graphic Novel That Teaches You How to DrawFreeman, Daniel, The Beginner Art Book for Kids: Learn How to Draw, Paint, Sculpt, and More!Knutson, Julie, Project Row HousesLlimós Plomer, Anna, Easy Clay Crafts in 5 StepsVagts, Carolyn S., I Can Quilt AdultBiggers, John Thomas, Black Art in Houston: The Texas Southern University ExperienceBunch, Robert Craig, The Art of Found Objects: Interviews with Texas Artistsde Lima Greene, Alison, Texas: 150 Works from the Museum of Fine Arts, HoustonGraves, Laia Farran, The Story of the Hermès ScarfFinkelpearl, Tom, What We Made: Conversations on Art and Social CooperationMcEvilley, Thomas, Bert Long: The Artist's JourneyTheisen, Ollie Jensen, A Life on Paper: The Drawings and Lithographs of John Thomas BiggersTheisen, Ollie Jensen, Walls that Speak: The Murals of John Thomas BiggersWardlaw, Alvia, J., The Art of John Biggers: View from the Upper Room WatchGarrison, Andrew, Third Ward TX Create with our Library of Things!Watercolor MarkersWood Carving SetRubbing Plates - FloralRubbing Plates - Abstract This exhibition is partnership with Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the University Museum at Texas Southern University....

The Writers: Portraits by Laura Wilson

Haruki Murakami and Paul Theroux Book Signing | Zadie Smith | Margaret Atwood Library | All images © Laura Wilson February 14 - June 14, 2025The Julia Ideson Building | Exhibit Hall Renowned photographer Laura Wilson offers us intimate glimpses into the everyday lives of more than 30 influential and internationally acclaimed writers. This exhibition features of a selection of portraits from her book, The Writers: Portraits (Yale University Press, 2022), which was inspired by the popular photo essays published in Life magazine in the mid-20th century. After viewing this collection of portraits and candid photographs, borrow and enjoy the works of these best-selling writers from Houston Public LIbrary's collection.Laura Wilson's photographs have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and London's Sunday Times Magazine, The Washington Post Magazine, among others. She has published seven books of photographs and text including Avedon at Work (2003), Grit and Glory (2003), That Day: Pictures in the American West (2015), and From Rodin to Plensa (2018). JOIN USOpening Reception with Laura Wilson | Thursday, February 13, 2025, 5:00 - 7:00 PM CHECK OUT OUR CATALOG Books by Laura WilsonAvedon at Work: In the American WestHutterites of MontanaThat Day: Pictures in the American WestWatt Matthews of Lambshead Writers Featured in this ExhibitionMargaret AtwoodRussell BanksJohn BanvilleBrit BennettA. S. ByattPeter CareyMichael ChabonTa-Nehisi CoatesJ. M. CoetzeeRachel CuskEdwidge DanticatLouise ErdrichRichard FordCarlos FuentesGabriel García MárquezSeamus HeaneyCormac McCarthyDavid McCulloughIan McEwanThomas McGuaneLarry McMurtryHaruki MurakamiTim O'BrienMichael OndaatjeAnnie ProulxMarjane SartrapiSam ShepardZadie SmithTom StoppardPaul TherouxColm Tóibín ...

Straight Flexin', No Plexin': A Hip Hop Exhibit