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Award to Honor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

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A family tree appears literally as a tree. Each leaf of the tree bears the name of a family member.

Genealogy Research at the Newberry

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Open to All

The Newberry's collections, programs, and exhibitions have been free and open to all since 1887. Curious people from all over visit to research topics of interest, discover their family history, take classes, or learn something new and unexpected.

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Upcoming Events

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Event—Public Programming

Star Wars: A New Hope

May 03, 2025

1:00pm–3:30pm

At the Newberry – Ruggles Hall

Event—Public Programming

The Boston Massacre: A Family History

Apr 26, 2025

10:00am–11:00am

Hybrid – Ruggles Hall and Zoom

Event—Public Programming

Chicago’s New Left Bank: From the Dil Pickle to the College of Complexes


Apr 30, 2025

4:00pm–5:00pm

At the Newberry – Baskes Boardroom

Event—Public Programming

The 2025 Newberry Library Award Celebration

May 02, 2025

5:00pm–9:00pm

Off-site – The Drake 140 East Walton Place Chicago

Event—Public Programming

Genealogy 101: An Introduction to Genealogical Research at the Newberry

May 03, 2025

9:30am–10:30am

At the Newberry – Baskes Hall

Adult Education Classes

All Classes

Event—Adult Education

A Few Gay Poets: Gossip, Dailiness & Candor

Taught by Rob Onorato

Weekly on Thursdays, Apr 24–May 15, 2025

6:00pm–7:30pm

At the Newberry

Event

CANCELLED - Drawing from the Margins: Studying Indigenous Representation in Comics

Taught by Damien Rodriguez

Weekly on Saturdays, Apr 26–May 10, 2025

1:00pm–2:30pm

At the Newberry

News

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. to receive the Newberry Library Award

Professor Gates is a filmmaker and scholar who hosts the PBS program “Finding Your Roots.”

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Blog—Source Material

The Five Most-Requested Collection Items of 2024

Blog—Source Material

A Conversation with Artist Vida Sačić

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Expanding Horizons: Finding Intersex People in Early Modern Germany

Blog—Source Material

Lost and Found (and Found!) Books

Our Collection Is Your Collection

Whether it's a letter from Michelangelo or a doodle drawn in a nineteenth-century textbook by a procrastinating student, primary sources bring the past to life in vivid detail. You’re free to explore these historic materials online or in person at the Newberry.

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Research Your Family History

The Newberry is a leading center of genealogy research. Wherever you are in the process of researching your family history, we can help.

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Digital Collections

View and download tens of thousands of high-resolution images from the Newberry collection.

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More than 600 years of human history are waiting to be discovered in the Newberry's reading rooms, exhibition galleries, classrooms, and event spaces.

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