Howard's Moorland-Spingarn Research Center Not in Danger of Closing

AKA's extensive collection is safe

Alpha Kappa Alpha President Barbara A. McKinzie recently fired off a letter to Howard University's president following media reports that its highly-renowned Moorland-Spingarn Research Center was teetering on the brink of closure, facing massive staff and budget cuts. As the guardian of AKA's extensive archives, including valuable documents that date back to the Sorority's founding, McKinzie asked for clarity on the state of the Center.

In response, Nesta H. Bernard, interim vice president development and alumni relations refuted the media reports. While acknowledging that the Center has been buffeted by the economic downturn, he said that the University has "no intention" of closing one of the world's largest and more comprehensive repositories for the preservation and study of Black history and culture in the United States."

Included in the letter was a press release issued by Howard University President Sidney A. Ribeau, where he too denounced the media accounts and hailed Moorland-Spingarn as a "national treasure." In the letter, he outlined future plans for the Center, reinforced its value and outlined the University's vision for it.

Click here to read the letter and the press release.