Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Black Artists + Designers Guild (@badguild) is a community of independent Black makers working in a range of creative industries. Their installation, “The Underground Library,” can be found on the first floor of “Making Home—Smithsonian Design Triennial, in the room that once housed Andrew Carnegie’s personal library.
Inspired by the Underground Railroad—the clandestine network established in the early 19th century through which many enslaved African Americans traveled in their search for freedom—this library is an interactive space, a 21st-century sanctuary brimming with books, art, and artifacts relating to Black history and culture.
Here, BADG founder Malene Barnett (@malene.barnett) discusses how signs and symbols used in the Underground Railroad informed and inspired design elements that appear the final installation, and what she hopes visitors will take away from the space.
Be sure to experience “Making Home” before it closes August 10—tap the link in our bio to plan your visit to Cooper Hewitt.
The Black Artists + Designers Guild (@badguild) is a community of independent Black makers working in a range of creative industries. Their installation, “The Underground Library,” can be found on the first floor of “Making Home—Smithsonian Design Triennial, in the room that once housed Andrew Carnegie’s personal library.
Inspired by the Underground Railroad—the clandestine network established in the early 19th century through which many enslaved African Americans traveled in their search for freedom—this library is an interactive space, a 21st-century sanctuary brimming with books, art, and artifacts relating to Black history and culture.
Here, BADG founder Malene Barnett (@malene.barnett) discusses how signs and symbols used in the Underground Railroad informed and inspired design elements that appear the final installation, and what she hopes visitors will take away from the space.
Be sure to experience “Making Home” before it closes August 10—tap the link in our bio to plan your visit to Cooper Hewitt.
