America at 250: Library Programming on Black Americans in the Founding Era, A Survey

Abstract

In 2025, a team of ALA Emerging Leaders and mentors from BCALA designed a toolkit for libraries, schools, and museums incorporating Black history and agency into their 250th U.S. Anniversary celebrations. The America at 250: Black Perspectives of the Founding Era toolkit provided information professionals with a timeline of the founding era, five major themes, discussion questions, and potential programming around the themes. Institutions across the United States utilized this toolkit to design programs specific to their patrons’ interests and local history. This session will review some of the successes and challenges libraries experienced in using the toolkit, lessons learned from creating a national toolkit, and ways libraries can continue to use the toolkit beyond 2026.