Dr. Tameka Bradley Hobbs, new Library Regional Manager for the African American Research Library and Cultural Center, has an extensive background in African American and public history.
Tameka Bradley Hobbs is the Library Regional Manager of Broward Public Library’s African American Research Library and Cultural Center(AARLCC) in Fort Lauderdale. She earned her undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University, and her doctoral degree in United States History and Historical Administration and Public History from Florida State University.
AARLCC is the third public research library of its kind in the United States, with specialized archival collections dedicated to the study of the culture and history of African Americans and others of African descent. Since its opening in October 2002, AARLCC has become an integral part of the community, offering educational, recreational, and cultural programs for all ages.
“Dr. Hobbs’ passion for social justice, education and civic engagement aligns with Broward County Library’s mission to meet the changing needs of our neighbors and communities,” said Allison Grubbs, Broward County Libraries Director. “We look forward to the great things she will accomplish here.”
In addition to her sixteen years of teaching experience, Hobbs has served as coordinator of the African American Studies Program at Valdosta State University. She has also worked as a researcher, writer, consultant, and director for a number of public and oral history projects. Her professional experience includes serving as Director of Projects and Program for the John G. Riley Museum and Center of African American History and Culture, located in Tallahassee, Florida, as well as Education and Programs Coordinator for the Library of Virginia.
Between 2011 and 2018, she was Assistant Professor of History, Chair of the Department of Social Sciences, and University Historian for Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens, Florida. Between 2019 and 2022, she served as Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and the Founding Director of the FMU Social Justice Institute at Florida Memorial University.
Her book, Democracy Abroad, Lynching at Home: Racial Violence in Florida, was published by the University Press of Florida and has been awarded bronze medal for the 2015 Florida Book Award for Florida Nonfiction, and the 2016 Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Award from the Florida Historical Society.
Hobbs unearths four lynchings that are critical to the understanding of the origins of civil rights in Florida. The oral histories from the victims’ families and those in the communities make this a valuable contribution to African American, Florida, and civil rights history.”–Derrick E. White, author of The Challenge of Blackness
Hobbs served as founding president of the South Florida Branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Inc. (ASALH, Inc.). She also serves as the chair of the board of directors for the South Florida People of Color (SFPoC), a non-profit organization based in Miami Shores, Florida, dedicated to eradicating racism through education and advocacy.
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