By Lynn Blumenstein

The grand opening of the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC) will take place October 26 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The newest addition to the Broward County Library system will house more than 75,000 books, manuscripts, artifacts, and documents that focus on the experiences of people of African and Caribbean descent.

Day-long festivities will feature cultural performances, children's arts and crafts, reading activities, and tours of the library. An ancestral and ceremonial dance will be performed by a Nigerian dance troupe under the direction of High Priest Osemwegie Ebohon of Nigeria. The library's opening exhibit is "Celebration and Vision: the Hewitt Collection of African-American Art," sponsored by Bank of America.