The Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture, newly renovated in 2003, is a beautiful facility with oak paneled walls, grand windows that let the sunshine in, an exquisite baby grand piano ready for the playing, and an ever expanding collection of photography and art on the walls that speaks to the essence of Black culture here at Duke University and beyond. The Center is comprised of an inviting reception area or lobby, main office which houses our multimedia lending library, a conference room, and the Julian Abele Hall, which is a multipurpose room with a fully functional kitchen and media center with a large projection screen, and our director's office.

Hours of Operation

The Center is available to students daily via card access. We are open from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM weekdays for business and during those hours as well as many others by reservation (for programming).

Note: A valid Duke ID Card is required for keycard access to both the Lobby and Julian Abele Hall during evening and weekend hours if a reservation has not been made.