A Short History of Library Service to African Americans in North Carolina

December 2011 and March 2012, featured blog posts on two libraries in North Carolina that provided services to African Americans during the Pre-Civil Rights Era: The  George Moses Horton Branch of the Forsyth County Public Library (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) and the 51st Library of Camp Montford Point (Jacksonville, North Carolina). Below are some additional libraries that provided  services to African Americans in North Carolina during the Pre-Civil Rights Era:

The first public library for African Americans in North Carolina was the Brevard Street Library of Charlotte, North Carolina. It was in operation from 1905 until 1961. Allegra Westbrooks (1921- ), the first African American supervisor in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Library System, served as the Brevard Street Library's manager from 1947 until 1961.

Sources: Ryckman, Patricia. Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County: A Century of Service. Charlotte: Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, 1989. n. pag. Web. 26 Jan. 2011. ; Battles, David M. The History of Public Library Access for African Americans in the South or, Leaving Behind the Plow. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2009. 30, 55. Print. ; Speller, Benjamin F. and James R. Jarrell. "Profile of Pioneers: Selected North Carolina Black Librarians." The Black Librarian in the Southeast: Reminiscences, Activities, Challenges. Ed. Annette L. Phinazee. Durham: NCCU School of Library Science, 1980. 74, 78. Print. ; Bolling, Christina. "Our Living History." Charlotte Observer 15 Feb. 2005: 1B. Print. ; Ordonez, Franco. "Our Living History." Charlotte Obeserver 16 Feb. 2006: 1B. Print. ; Perlmutt, Davidi. "Allegra Westbrooks: Librarian." Charlotte Observer 4 Feb. 2009: 1B. Print. ; Perlmutt, David. "Black History Month: Crossing the Barrier." Charlotte Observer 1 Feb. 2009: 1A. Print. ; "Allegra Westbrooks: The First African-American Public Library Supervisor in North Carolina." All Things Amy. All Things Amy, 4 Feb. 2009. Web. 9 Jan. 2011. ; Nix, Larry T. "Allegra Westbrooks." Library History Buff Blog. Library History Buff, 4 Feb. 2009. Web. 9 Jan. 2011. ; "BCALA United Stateline News - North Carolina." BCALA Newsletter 37.3 (2009): 14. Print. ; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Library. ; Du Mont, Rosemary Ruhig and William Caynon. "Education of Black Librarians." Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. Ed. Kent Allen, Harold Lancour, and Jay Daily. Vol. 45, suppl. 10. New York: Marcel Dekker, 1990. 111. Print.

 

The Richard B. Harrison Library in Raleigh, North Carolina opened in 1935. The library was founded by Mollie Huston Lee (1907-1982), the first African American librarian in Wake County. The Richard B. Harrison Library is still in operation today, and is part of the Wake County Public Library.

Sources: "Richard B. Harrison Library History." Richard B. Harrison Library, Mollie Huston Lee Collection, 14 Apr. 2005. Wake County Government. Web. 26 Jan. 2011. ; Speller, Benjamin F. and James R. Jarrell. "Profiles of Pioneers: Selected North Carolina Black Librarians." The Black Librarian in the Southeast: Reminiscences, Activities, Challenges. Ed. Annette L. Phinazee. Durham: NCCU School of Library Science, 1980. 78-81. Print. ; Battles, David M. The History of Public Library Access for African Americans in the South or, Leaving Behind the Plow. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2009. 74, 76, 88. Print. ; Grant, George, comp. "Richard B. Harrison Community Library." In Honor of: Libraries Named for African Americans. Jonesboro: Grant House Publishers, 2011. 155. Print.

 

In 1942, the Cumberland County Public Library of North Carolina established the James Walker Hood Library. Built with money from the Work Projects Administration (WPA), the James Walker Hood Library served the African American citizens of Fayetteville, North Carolina. In 1955, the branch was renamed the Gillespie Street Branch Library. The Gillespie Street Branch Library remained in operation until May 10, 1986.

Sources: "Library History & Timeline." Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center. Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center, 2007. Web. 26 Jan. 2011. ; "Selected Milestones in Cumberland County's History." Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center. Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center, 2007. Web. 31 Aug. 2013 ; "Gillespie Street Branch of the Cumberland County Library." Message from Local and State History Room, Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center. 8 Sept. 2013. E-mail.
 

In 1913, the Durham Colored Library was established in the basement of White Rock Baptist Church in Durham, North Carolina. Three years later, the library moved out of the church and into its own separate building. Hattie Wooten was the first librarian (1916-1932). In 1940, the library was renamed the Stanford L. Warren Library. In 1962, Bragtown Branch Library, another library for African Americans, was opened. In 1966, both libraries were merged with the Durham County Public Library. They are still in operation today.

Sources: Jacobs, Jessica Harland. "This History of Public Library Service in Durham, 1897-1997." Durham County Public Library. Durham County Public Library, n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2011. ; Grant, George, comp. "Stanford L. Warren Branch - Durham County Library." In Honor of: Libraries Named for African Americans. Jonesboro: Grant House Publishers, 2011. 147. Print.
 

 

The Market Street Branch Library (also known as the Asheville Colored Library) of the Buncombe County Library System served the African American citizens of Asheville, North Carolina from 1929 until 1961. In the fall of 1961, through the efforts of the Asheville Student Committee on Racial Equality (ASCORE), the library system was integrated.

Sources: "Special Events Recognize the 50th Anniversary of the Desegregation of Pack Memorial Library." Urban News 12 Oct. 2011: n.pag. The Urban News Publishing Co. Web. 19 Nov. 2011. ; Battles, David M. The History of Public Library Access for African Americans in the South or, Leaving Behind the Plow. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2009. 61, 127. Print. ; Hendrick, Irene O. "Annual Report of the Colored Public Library, 1946-1947." Transforming the Tar Heel State: The Legacy of Public Libraries in North Carolina. State Library of North Carolina, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2011. ; "Irene O. Hendrick." United States Census, 1920. FamilySearch.org, n.d. Web. 3 Sept. 2013. ; "Irene O. Stewart Hendrick." North Carolina Deaths, 1931-1994. FamilySearch.org, n.d. Web. 3 Sept. 2013.

The Carnegie Negro Library of Greensboro, North Carolina began service in 1905. In 1964, the library was renamed the Southeast Branch Library, and later in the 1990s was called the Vance H. Chavis Branch. The Chavis Branch is part of the Greensboro Public Library System and is still in operation.

Sources: Battles, David M. The History of Public Library Access for African Americans in the South or, Leaving Behind the Plow. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2009. 57, 127. Print. ; Grant, George, comp. "Vance H. Chavis Lifelong Learning Branch - Greensboro Public Library." In Honor of: Libraries Named for African Americans. Jonesboro: Grant House Publishers, 2011. 150. Print. ; "Carnegie Negro Library Report, 1946." Transforming the Tar Heel State: The Legacy of Public Libraries in North Carolina. State Library of North Carolina, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2011.
 

The Granville Street Library in Oxford, North Carolina began service in 1942. This library served the town's African American residents. The library merged with the Richard H. Thornton Library (main branch of the Granville County Library System) in the 1970s.

Sources: "Granville Street Library." Photo. Transforming the Tar Heel State: The Legacy of Public Libraries in North Carolina. State Library of North Carolina, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2011. ; "Oxford Public Library Negro Branch (Exterior)." Photo. Transforming the Tar Heel State: The Legacy of Public Libraries in North Carolina. State Library of North Carolina, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2011.
 

A Brief History of Conferences for African American Librarians: The First and Second Negro Library Conferences

As members of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) prepare for the 8th National Conference of African American Librarians (NCAAL) being held next week (August 7-11, 2013) in Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, here are some brief facts on two conferences held for African American librarians during the early half of the 20th century:

The First Negro Library Conference

The First Negro Library Conference was held March 15-18, 1927 at the Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) in Hampton, Virginia. Forty librarians were in attendance. Reverend Thomas Fountain Blue, director of the Colored Branches of the Louisville Free Public Library, was the conference organizer.

Keynote Speakers:

Edward Christopher Williams -- Howard University
Florence Rising Curtis -- Hampton Institute Library School
Herbert S. Hirshberg -- State Librarian of Ohio
Louis Shores --  Fisk University
Rachel Davis Harris -- Eastern Colored Branch of the Louisville Free Public Library

Update 08/02/2013: There is a photo of attendees at the First Negro Library Conference on Flickr.com: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vieilles_annonces/6758169905/in/set-72157623915774564/

Sources: Curtis, Florence Rising. "Colored Librarians in Conference." Library Journal 52.8 (1927): 408. Print. ; "Personals." Library Occurrent 8.2 (1927): 66. Print. ; Jordan, Casper Leroy, and E.J. Josey. "A Chronology of Events in Black Librarianship." Handbook of Black Librarianship. Ed. E.J. Josey and Marva DeLoach. 2nd ed. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2006. 6. Print. ; Battles, David M. The History of Public Library Access for African Americans in the South or, Leaving Behind the Plow. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2009. 60. Print. ; Jones, Reinette. Library Service to African Americans in Kentucky: From the Reconstruction Era to the 1960s. Jefferson: McFarland, 2006. 54. Print. ; "Prominent Woman Returns." Indianapolis Recorder 2 Apr. 1927: 5. Print.

The Second Negro Library Conference
 

The Second Negro Library Conference was held November 20-23, 1930 in Nashville, Tennessee at Fisk University. The number of librarians believed to have attended was 71. Louis Shores, head librarian of Fisk University, served as the chair of the conference committee.

Keynote Speakers:

Wallace Van Jackson  -- Virginia Union University
Tommie Dora Barker  -- American Library Association
Robert M. Lester -- Carnegie Corporation
Arthur Schomburg -- New York Public Library
Monroe N. Work -- Tuskegee Institute
Louis R. Wilson -- University of North Carolina
Adam Strohm -- President of the American Library Association

*A group photo of the attendees of the Second Negro Library Conference is included on page 310 of the following article:  Shores, Louis. "Library Service to Negroes." Wilson Bulletin 5.5 (Jan. 1931): 310-315.Print.

  You can also see a larger version of the same photo in the following book:

Cohen, Rodney T. Fisk University. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia, 2001. 20-21.Print.

Sources: Shores, Louis. "Negro Library Conference Held." Library Journal 56.1 (Jan. 1, 1931): 40. Print. ; Battles, David M. The History of Public Library Access for African Americans in the South or, Leaving Behind the Plow. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2009. 70. Print. ; Jones, Reinette. Library Service to African Americans in Kentucky: From the Reconstruction Era to the 1960s. Jefferson: McFarland, 2006. 56-57. Print. ; Shores, Louis. "Library Service to Negroes." Wilson Bulletin 5.5 (Jan. 1931): 310.Print. ; Cohen, Rodney T. Fisk University. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia, 2001. 20-21.Print.

Update 02/05/2014:
(Many thanks to Karen Weaver for bringing this to my attention!)

Individuals who  served with Louis Shores (committee chair) on the Second Negro Library Conference's organizing committee were: Tommie Dora Barker, Robert M. Lester, Adam Strohm, Thomas Fountain Blue, Florence Rising Curtis, Ernestine Rose, Charlotte Templeton, and Edward C. Williams (sadly, Mr. Williams died before the conference was held).

Sources: Jones, Reinette. Library Service to African Americans in Kentucky: From the Reconstruction Era to the 1960s. Jefferson: McFarland, 2006. 88-89. Print. ; Karen Weaver.

Update 04/18/2014:

I wrote an article on Indiana librarian Lillian Haydon Childress Hall (1899-1958). Hall was an attendee at both conferences. The article appeared in the recent issue of Indiana Libraries (v. 33, no. 1). Click the link below to access:

Fenton, Michele T. "Stepping Out on Faith: Lillian Haydon Childress Hall, Pioneer Black Librarian." Indiana Libraries 33.1 (2014): 5-11. Print.

Update 09/10/2014:

You can learn more about Louis Shores (conference chair of the Second Negro Library Conference and former head librarian at Fisk University) in the following book:

Shiflett, Orvin Lee. Louis Shores: Defining Educational Librarianship. Lanham: Scarecrow, 1996. Print.

African American Presidents of the Special Libraries Association (SLA)

The first African American President of the Special Libraries Association (SLA) was Vivian Davidson Hewitt (1978-1979).

Sources: Jordan, Casper Leroy, and E.J. Josey. "A Chronology of Events in Black Librarianship." Handbook of Black Librarianship. Ed. E.J. Josey and Marva DeLoach. 2nd ed. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2000. 13. Print. ; "Past Presidents- Special Libraries Association." SLA.org. Special Libraries Association, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2010.

The second African American president of the Special Libraries Association (SLA) was Vivian J. Arterbery (1984-1985).
Source: "Past Presidents- Special Libraries Association." SLA.org. Special Libraries Association, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2010.

 

The third African American president of the Special Libraries Association (SLA) was Emily R. Mobley (1987-1988).
Source: "Past Presidents- Special Libraries Association." SLA.org. Special Libraries Association, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2010. ; Dawson, Alma. "Celebrating African American Librarians and Librarianship." Library Trends 49.1 (2000): 59. Print.

The fourth African American president of the Special Libraries Association (SLA) was Sylvia E.A. Piggot (1996-1997).
Source: "Past Presidents- Special Libraries Association." SLA.org. Special Libraries Association, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2010.

Burton E. Lamkin was president of the Minnesota Chapter of the Special Libraries Association from 1960-1961. He was also a member of the SLA Board of Directors from 1968-1971.
Sources: "MN SLA: List of Past Presidents." MN SLA. Special Libraries Association, n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. ; "New Post." Jet 21.11 (1962): 22. Print. ; "SLA Directors." Special Libraries Association. Special Libraries Association, 2009. Web. 6 Dec. 2010. ; "Speaking of People." Ebony 15.12 (1960): 6. Print. ; "Directors." Special Libraries 59.10 (1968): 760. Print.

The first African American president of the Oklahoma Chapter of the Special Libraries Association was Hannah D. Atkins (1967-1968).
Source: Jordan, Casper Leroy, and E.J. Josey. "A Chronology of Events in Black Librarianship." Handbook of Black Librarianship. Ed. E.J. Josey and Marva DeLoach. 2nd ed. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2000. 10. Print.

 

 

 

Carnegie Free Library of Barbados (Bridgetown, Barbados)

The Carnegie Free Library of Barbados was opened on January 26, 1906 in Bridgetown, Barbados. The library was built with a grant of £2500 (approximately $12,150) given by Andrew Carnegie to the city of Bridgetown in 1903 at the request of Governor Frederic Hodgson. It was the first Carnegie Library built outside of Great Britain and North America. The library remained in operation until August 2006 when it was closed due to structural damage and deterioration. Plans to restore the Carnegie Free Library of Barbados have been postponed due to economic and financial issues. Restore the Barbados Public Library has created a Facebook page to generate support for the library's restoration:


https://www.facebook.com/pages/Restore-the-Barbados-Public-Library/257288390990399

Sources: Hinds, Beverley. "Historicising the Carnegie Free Library: The Case of Barbados." World Libraries 18.1 (2008):n.pag. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. ; Jordan, Alma Theodora. The Development of Library Service in the West Indies through Interlibrary Cooperation. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 1970. 91. Print. ; Hinds, Beverley. "Historical Overview of Public Library Development in the English-Speaking Caribbean." World Library and Information Congress, 77th IFLA General Conference and Assembly. N.p.: IFLA, 2011. 3-6. PDF file. ; Freudenthal, Juan R. "West Indies, Libraries in." Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, Vol. 33. Ed. Allen Kent and Jay E. Daily. New York: Marcel Dekker, 1982. 39, 44, 46, 49, 61, 63, 74, 83, 90. Print.

See related posts: Carnegie Free Library of San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago;  Suva City Carnegie Library (Suva City, Fiji). ; and Carnegie Free Library of St. Lucia (Castries, St, Lucia).

Update 2/07/2016:

Related post: Carnegie Library Roseau (Roseau, Dominica)




                                                                                                                                                      

Library Service to African Americans in Florida: The Negro Library (Clearwater, Florida) and the Harlem Branch Library (Tampa, Florida)

Today's post will focus on two libraries in Florida that provided library services to African Americans during the Pre-Civil Rights Era:

The Negro Library (Clearwater, Florida)

Clearwater, Florida's Negro Library began operation on March 15, 1950. The library was housed in a rented facility on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Palmetto Street.  The library received a new building in 1962 and was renamed the Northeast Branch Library. It is now known as the North Greenwood Branch of the Clearwater Public Library.

Christine Wigfall Morris, the city's first African American librarian, was the Negro Library's first manager (1950-1983). Ms. Morris was born in 1922 in Register, Georgia. Her parents were Eddie and Hattie Smith Wigfall. Before beginning her library career, she attended Bethune-Cookman College (now Bethune-Cookman University) in Daytona, Florida. In addition, Ms. Morris was a member of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority. In 1946, she married Willie Jack Morris. Ms. Morris served as librarian for 33 years before retiring in 1983.

In 2010, Ms. Morris wrote her autobiography in which she includes history of the Negro Library and her experiences as its manager. The book's title is Christine Wigfall Morris: Stories of Family, Community, and History, 1908-2010, and is co-written by Barbara J. Sorey.

Sources: Morris, Christine W. and Barbara J. Sorey. Christine Wigfall Morris: Stories of Family, Community, and History, 1908-2010. Baltimore: PublishAmerica, 2010. 55-58, 62-63, 65-66, 75-76. Print. ; "History of the Clearwater Public Library System." MyClearwater.com: Clearwater Public Libraries. City of Clearwater, 11 July 2008. Web. 4 Sept. 2011. ; "First Black Librarian in Clearwater Florida Writes Her Memoirs." LIS News. LIS News, 1 Feb. 2010. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. ; Pickell, Barbara. "Christine Wigfall Morris, Clearwater Florida's First African American Librarian Signs Books at Reception." Florida Library Association BlogSpot. Florida Library Association, 9 Dec. 2010. Web. 10 Dec. 2010. ; "Newsmaker: Christine Wigfall Morris and Barbara Sorey." American Libraries (Online). American Library Association, 16 Mar. 2011. Web. 30 Apr. 2013. ; "Morris, Christine." Documenting Florida's African American History & Heritage. Discovering Black Florida, 2007. Web. 5 Jan. 2011. ; "Newsmaker: Christine Wigfall Morris." American Libraries 42.3-4 (2011) 18. Print. 


* Update 05/04/2015: Christine Wigfall Morris passed away on December 7, 2014 at the age of 92.

Source: "Obituaries." American Libraries 46.5 (May 2015): 57. Print.

The Harlem Branch of the Tampa Public Library (Tampa, Florida)

The Harlem Branch of the Tampa Public Library in Tampa, Florida began operation in 1919. Ada T. Payne (the city's first African American librarian), Henrietta Maddox, Adelle Samuel, Cancerina Martin, Jemi B. Brown, and Lizzie Dansey [Dawsey?] were among the librarians that worked at the branch. The library was originally housed inside the Harlem Academy. In 1923, the library was located at the Tampa Urban League. In 1927, the library was moved to 1404 Central Avenue and remained in operation until 1969. The Tampa Public Library is now the Tampa-Hillsborough Library and is part of the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative.

Sources: Steele, Kathy. "Tampa to Honor Segregation-Era Library That Was Open to Blacks." Tampa Bay Online 21 Feb. 2013. Web. 28 Feb. 2013. ; "Great Turnout at the Harlem Branch Library History Roadshow." The Library History Roadshow BlogSpot. The Library History Roadshow, 23 Feb. 2013. Web. 28 Feb. 28, 2013. ; "Coming up Next: Harlem Branch Library (1919-1969)." The Library History Roadshow BlogSpot. The Library History Roadshow, 5 Feb. 2013. Web. 28 Feb. 2013. ; "About." Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative. Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative, 2013. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.

The Flanner Guild Deposit Station, Paul Laurence Dunbar Branch, Crispus Attucks Branch, and the George Washington Carver Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Today's blog post features historical facts relating to three former branches and a former deposit station of the Indianapolis Public Library in Indianapolis, Indiana: Flanner Guild Deposit Station, and the Crispus Attucks, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and George Washington Carver Branches. Pioneer black librarians such as Lillian Childress Hall, Hallie Beachem Brooks, Betsie Lou Baxter Collins, Edna Howard, Effie Stroud, and others spent all or part of their careers at these locations. Although these three branches and deposit station are now closed, they played an important part in providing access to library services to African Americans in Indianapolis.

Note: The Flanner Guild Deposit Station, and the Dunbar, Attucks, and Carver Branches were not built specifically for African Americans. These locations just happened to be in African American neighborhoods. From the day it opened its doors in 1873, the Indianapolis Public Library has always welcomed members of any race to all of its locations. 

The Flanner Guild Deposit Station

In 1919, the Indianapolis Public Library established a deposit station at the Flanner Guild African American Settlement (now Flanner House) in Indianapolis. Deposit stations were not branches, but were off-site locations authorized by the Indianapolis Public Library to lend books.

Sources: "New Libraries and Buildings." Library Occurrent 5.9 (1919): 316. Print. ; Downey, Lawrence J. A Live Thing in the Whole Town: History of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library. Carmel: Guild P of IN, 1991. 156-158. Print. 

The Paul Laurence Dunbar Branch

In 1922, the Paul Laurence Dunbar Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library opened its doors. The branch was located inside of Indianapolis Public School #26, an all-black elementary school on the city’s east side. Lillian Haydon Childress Hall was the branch’s first manager (1921-1927; note: Hall was appointed as the branch manager in the summer of 1921 but the branch did not officially open until the spring of 1922).

Previously, Hall was the branch manager of the Cherry Street Branch of the Evansville Public Library in Evansville, Indiana (1915-1921).  She was the first African American graduate of the Indiana Public Library Commission Summer School for Librarians (she graduated on July 24, 1915). In addition, Hall was an alumna of Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.

In 1927, patrons of the Dunbar Branch were treated to a special visit and poetry reading from Harlem Renaissance poet Countee Cullen at a tea hosted by the library in his honor. Hallie Beachem Brooks, former library science professor at the Atlanta University Library School, was the branch manager at the time of Cullen's visit.

Effie Stroud, a graduate of the Hampton Institute Library School, was the manager of the Dunbar Branch from 1935 until 1944. Ms. Stroud previously worked at the 135th Street Branch of the New York Public Library (now the Schomburg Center for Research on Black Culture). Olivia Mitchell Anderson, a graduate of Fisk University, was the Dunbar Branch's last manager (1962-1967).

The Paul Laurence Dunbar Branch operated for 45 years before becoming a regular school library in 1967.

 

Sources: Downey, Lawrence J. A Live Thing in the Whole Town: History of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library. Carmel: Guild P of IN, 1991. 156-158. Print. ; "Personals." Library Occurrent 6.2 (1921): 89. Print. ; "Among Librarians." Library Journal 46.19 (1921): 912. Print. ; "News from the Field." Public Libraries 27.1 (1922): 68. Print. ; "News from the Field." Public Libraries 27.7 (1922): 458. Print. ; "District Meetings." Library Occurrent 6.10 (1923): 386. Print. ; Cain, Mary J. "History of the Indianapolis Public Library." Library Occurrent 11.4 (1933): 118. Print. ; Shores, Louis. "Public Library Service to Negroes." Library Journal 55.4 (1930): 153. Print. ; "Local News." Indianapolis Recorder 28 May 1932: 3. Print. ; "Dunbar Library Observes Week." Indianapolis Recorder 17 Nov. 1934: 2. Print. ; "Literary Corner: Book Reviews." Indianapolis Recorder 3 July 1937: 10. Print. ; "Books: Attucks-Dunbar." Indianapolis Recorder 29 July 1939: 10. Print. ; "Gives Tea for Mr. Cullen." Indianapolis Recorder 5 Mar. 1927: 5. Print. ; "Negro History Week is Observed Here." Indianapolis Recorder 11 Feb. 1939: 1-2. Print.  ; "Library Facilities Opened to the Public." Indianapolis Recorder 11 Feb. 1939. 2. Print. ; McGuire, Mary P. "Voice of the Eastside." Indianapolis Recorder 23 Feb. 1963: 4. Print. ; "School 26 PTA Meet is Dated." Indianapolis Recorder 3 Mar. 1965: 5. Print. ; McGuire, Mary P. "Voice of the Eastside." Indianapolis Recorder 26 Jan. 1963: 5. Print. ; McGuire, Mary P. "Voice of the Eastside." Indianapolis Recorder 25 Apr. 1964: 6. Print. ; "News of Indiana Libraries." Library Occurrent 11.8 (1934): 303. Print. ; McFarland, Bernard C. The Hill and the Bottoms: The Story from the Thousand Yard Stare. Virginia Beach, VA: Donning Co. Publishers, 2009. 64-68. Print. ; A Directory of Negro Graduates of Accredited Library Schools, 1900-1936. Washington: Columbia Civic Library Association, 1937. 22. Print. ; "Miss Effie Stroud Speaks." Indianapolis Recorder 22 Feb. 1936: 5. Print. ; Stroud, Effie. "Literary Corner about Books and Reviews." Indianapolis Recorder 2 May 1936: 10. Print. ; "News of Indiana Libraries." Library Occurrent 12.4 (1936): 116. Print. ; "News Notes." Library Occurrent 14.8 (1943): 223. Print. ; "News of Indiana Libraries." Library Occurrent 15.7 (1946): 552. Print. ; Fenton, Michele T. "Way Down Yonder at the Cherry Street Branch: A Short History of Evansville's Negro Library." Indiana Libraries 30.2 (2011): 37-38. Print. ; Berry, S.L. and Gadski, Mary Ellen. Stacks: A History of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library. Indianapolis, IN: Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library Foundation, 2011. 103. Print. ; Fenton, Michele T. "Stepping Out on Faith: Lillian Haydon Childress Hall, Pioneer Black Librarian." Indiana Libraries 33.1 (2014): 5-11. Print. ; "News from the Field: Central." Public Libraries: A Monthly Review of Library Matters and Methods 27.7 (1922): 458.Print.
 

The Crispus Attucks Branch

In 1927, the Crispus Attucks Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library opened on the city’s west side. The library was located on the first floor of Crispus Attucks High School, a high school for the African American residents of Indianapolis. 

In January 1935, Lawrence Dunbar Reddick visited the Crispus Attucks Library while in Indianapolis on business. Mr. Reddick was the curator at the 135th Street Branch of the New York Public Library (now the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture) from 1939 until 1948.

The Attucks Branch ceased operation as a branch on June 30, 1959 and became a regular high school library on July 1, 1959. Lillian Haydon Childress Hall, former manager of the Dunbar Branch, was the Attucks Branch’s first manager (1927-1956). Betsie Lou Baxter Collins was the last manager (1956-1959).

Betsie Lou Baxter Collins was a graduate of the Atlanta University School of Library Science. After serving at the Attucks Branch, Ms. Collins worked at the Rauh (now closed), Broadripple, Riverside (now closed), Haughville, and College Branches. In 1972, she received the Helen L. Norris Distinguished Service Award from the Indianapolis Public Library. Mrs. Collins passed away in 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

*Note: Crispus Attucks High School is still in operation today and is the home of the Crispus Attucks Museum.

Sources: "Library Has Formal Opening." Indianapolis Recorder 24 Sept. 1927: 5. Print. ; "Personals." Library Occurrent 8.3 (1927): 118. Print. ; "News of Indiana Libraries." Library Occurrent (1927): 122. Print. ; Warren, Stanley. Crispus Attucks High School: Hail to the Green, Hail to the Gold. Virginia Beach: Donning, 1998. 35. Print. ; Downey, Lawrence J. A Live Thing in the Whole Town: History of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library. Carmel: Guild P of IN, 1991. 132, 135, 148, 160, 202. Print. ; Cain, Mary J. "History of the Indianapolis Public Library." Library Occurrent 11.4 (1933): 118. Print. ; LeMon, Lillian M. "Indiana State: Indianapolis News." Chicago Defender 9 June 1934: 18. Print. ; Shores, Louis. "Public Library Service to Negroes." Library Journal 55.4 (1930): 153. Print. ; "Neighborhood Clubs." Indianapolis Recorder 24 Oct. 1936: 5. Print. ; "Libraries Observe Garden Week; Exhibits of Miniature Gardens on Display at Attucks." Indianapolis Recorder 26 Mar. 1938: 5. Print. ; "Negro History Week is Observed Here." Indianapolis Recorder 11 Feb. 1939: 1-2. Print. ; "Library Facilities Opened to the Public." Indianapolis Recorder 11 Feb. 1939: 2. Print. ; Brascher, Nahum Daniel. "Random Thoughts: A Little Light Along the Way." Chicago Defender 25 Feb. 1939: 17. Print. ; "Social Scene." Indianapolis Recorder 9 May 1959: 8. Print. ; "Society." Indianapolis Recorder 2 Feb. 1935: 3. Print. ; Crispus Attucks High School Yearbook, 1957. Indianapolis: Crispus Attucks High School, 1958. 84. Print. ; "Names in the News." Library Occurrent 24.3 (1972): 108. Print. ; Spradling, Mary Mace. "Black Librarians in Kentucky." The Black Librarian in the Southeast: Reminiscences, Activities, Challenges. Ed. Annette L. Phinazee. Durham: NCCU School of Library Science, 1980. 42. Print. ; Berry, S.L. and Gadski, Mary Ellen. Stacks: A History of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library. Indianapolis, IN: Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library Foundation, 2011. 103. Print. ; Fenton, Michele T. "Stepping Out on Faith: Lillian Haydon Childress Hall, Pioneer Black Librarian." Indiana Libraries 33.1 (2014): 5-11. Print.

 

The George Washington Carver Branch

In 1937, the George Washington Carver Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library opened. The library was located inside of Indianapolis Public School #87, an all-black elementary school on the city’s north side. Edna M. Howard was the branch’s manager from the time it opened in 1937 until its closure in 1950. After its closure, the branch was converted into a regular school library.

Ms. Howard was a graduate of the Hampton Institute Library School. Before becoming manager of the George Washington Carver Branch, she was a junior assistant at the Paul Laurence Dunbar Branch. In addition, Ms. Howard was a graduate of Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Ms. Joyce G. Taylor, former librarian at the Indianapolis Public Library and retired professor at the Indiana University School of Library and Information Science (now called the Indiana University School of Informatics and Computing), mentions visiting the George Washington Carver Branch during her childhood in her article "The Smile That Hooked Me for Life". The article was published in v. 22, no. 2 of the journal Indiana Libraries in 2003:

https://scholarworks.iupui.edu/bitstream/handle/1805/1307/The%20Smile%20That%20Hooked%20Me%20for%20Life.pdf?sequence=1

Sources: "School Board Likely to Reject Proposal to Build All-Colored Library Branch." Indianapolis Recorder 6 July 1935: 1. Print. ; "Branch Library Opens at School 87." Indianapolis Recorder 16 Oct. 1937 5. Print. ; "School 87 Gets Library Unit." Indianapolis Recorder 9 Oct. 1937 1. Print. ; "Librarian." Indianapolis Recorder 2 Oct. 1937: 4. Print. ; "News of Indiana Libraries." Library Occurrent 12.7 (1937): 212. Print. ; "News of Indiana Libraries." Library Occurrent 12.8 (1937): 250. Print. ; "Negro History Week Is Observed Here." Indianapolis Recorder 11 Feb. 1939: 1-2. Print. ; "Library Facilities Opened to the Public." Indianapolis Recorder 11 Feb. 1939: 2. Print. ; "School No. 87 PTA Plans Annual Matinee Musicale." Indianapolis Recorder 17 Apr. 1948: 5. Print. ; "School 87 PTA Plans Travelogue." Indianapolis Recorder 1949 Dec. 3: 5. Print. ; "Library Acquires Negro Collection." Indianapolis Recorder 7 Oct. 1950: 5. Print. ; Downey, Lawrence J. A Live Thing in the Whole Town: History of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library. Carmel: Guild P of IN, 1991. 162-163. Print. ; Taylor, Joyce G. "The Smile That Hooked Me for Life." Indiana Libraries 22.2 (2003): 8-10. Print. ; Shuck, Johari. "The George Washington Carver School: An Early History of Indianapolis School 87." Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History  (2014): 24-31. Print.

See related posts: Willa Resnover and the Norwood Library (Indianapolis, Indiana) ; Lillian Sunshine Haydon Childress Hall: Pioneer in the History of Library Services to African Americans in Indiana ; and Hallie Beachem Brooks: Librarian, Professor, and Indiana Native.

Update November 26, 2022:

I wrote an article about the Flanner Guild, Dunbar, Attucks, and Carver that was recently published in the American Library Association Library History Round Table's peer-reviewed journal, Libraries: Culture, History, and Society:

Fenton, Michele. "A Light in the Circle City: A History of Public Library Services to African Americans in Indianapolis, Indiana." Libraries: Culture, History, and Society 6.2 (2022): 258-277. Print.

Bernice Appleton Wilder: First African American Director of the Gary Public Library (Gary, Indiana)

Bernice Appleton Wilder (1923-1988) was the first African American director of the Gary Public Library in Gary, Indiana. Ms. Wilder, a native of Missouri, was a graduate of Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, and received her library science degree from the University of Southern California. She also was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. 

Ms. Wilder began her career at the Gary Public Library in 1954 at the Roosevelt Branch as the branch’s manager (now closed, the Roosevelt Branch was located at the corner of 25th and Jackson Streets --about a block and a half from the former home of the Jackson 5). In 1956, she became an assistant in the Gary Public Library's Extension Department.

After working in the extension department, Wilder worked for the Louis J. Bailey Branch*, and in 1963, was appointed Children's Librarian at the John F. Kennedy Branch (formerly the Glenn Park Branch). Nine years later, Wilder was appointed manager of the Tolleston Branch. In 1977, she became Assistant Director of the Gary Public Library's Extension Department.

In 1978, Wilder was appointed director of the Gary Public Library. It was during Ms. Wilder's tenure that the W.E.B. DuBois Branch was built and the Gary Public Library began automating some of its services. She served as director until her retirement in 1983. On May 18, 1988, Ms.Wilder passed away at the age of 64.

*Notes:  

The Louis J. Bailey Branch was named for the first director of the Gary Public Library.  Louis J. Bailey, a former employee of the the New York State Library and the Library of Congress, was a graduate of the New York State Library School (Edward Christopher Williams, the first African American male to receive a formal library science education, was a 1900 graduate of the New York State Library School). Mr. Bailey served as director of the Gary Public Library from 1908 until 1922.

The Gary Public Library was originally housed in a rented facility on 33rd West 7th Avenue before receiving a grant of $65,000 in 1910 from Andrew Carnegie for a new building at the corner of 5th Avenue and Adams Street (Carnegie's brother-in-law, Henry D. Whitfield, served as the library's architect). The Carnegie building opened in November 1912 (Father John Cavanaugh of the University of Notre Dame gave the dedication address). The Carnegie building served as the location of the main branch of the Gary Public Library until 1962 when it was razed to make way for a new facility. The Gary Public Library's new main branch was opened in 1964 on the same spot on which the Carnegie building was built 52 years earlier.

See related posts: Etka F. Braboy Gaskin and the Gary Public Library (Gary, Indiana) ; Helen Price Sawyer Braxton: Hampton Institute Library School Graduate and Librarian at Lincoln University (Jefferson City, Missouri) ;  Annette Hoage Phinazee: Dean, Professor, Author, and Librarian ; and Dhrathula Millender: Librarian, Author, and Historian - One of Indiana's Own.

Sources: Gary Public Library. ; “Missouri Girl Is Appointed Gary Librarian.” Indianapolis Recorder 6 Mar. 1954: 9. Print. ; “Personnel Appointments.” Gary Library Bulletin 12.3 (1954): 2. Print. ; “Personnel Changes.” Gary Library Bulletin 14.2 (1956): 4. Print. ; “Bernice Wilder, Past Director at Gary Library Dies at 64.” Gary Post-Tribune (Ind.) 20 May 1988: B9. Print. ; “Final Respect Paid 10th Library Director.” Gary Post-Tribune (Ind.) 26 May 1988. Highbeam Research, n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2011. ; “Certificates Issued by the Library Certification Board – All Permanent Certificates Issued February 1 – April 30, 1961.” Library Occurrent 20.6 (1961): 176. Print. ;  “Bernice Appleton.” United States Census, 1930. FamilySearch.org, n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2011. ; “Bernice Appleton.” United States Census, 1940. FamilySearch.org, n.d. Web. 4 Mar. 2013. ; “Bernice L. Wilder.” Social Security Death Index. FamilySearch.org, n.d. Web. 4 Mar. 2013. ; Peters, Orpha Maud. The Gary Public Library: 1907-1944. Gary: Gary Public Library, 1945. Print. ; “Roosevelt Branch Library.” Gary Library Bulletin 22.3 (1965): 2. Print. ; “History of the Alcott Branch Library.” Gary Library Bulletin 22.5 (1965): 2. Print. ; “New Library Buildings.” Library Occurrent 3.5 (1912): 93-95. Print. ;  “Bailey Honored by Librarians.” Indianapolis Star 8 Dec. 1933: 15. Print. ;  “State Library Activities Outlined by Indianan.” Indianapolis News 15 May 1929: 14. Print. ;  McPherson, Alan. Temples of Knowledge: Andrew Carnegie's Gift to Indiana. Kewanna, IN: Hoosier's Nest Press, 2003. 215, 227, 231, 234. Print.