F. Blanche Foster (1918-1988): Librarian, Teacher, and Author

F. Blanche Foster (1918-1988), a writer of travel books for middle school students, served as a school librarian for South Vigo High School in Terre Haute, Indiana. A native of Tennessee, Ms. Foster was a graduate of Wiley High School in Terre Haute, Indiana (the school was merged with Honey Creek High School in the early 1970s to form South Vigo High School). She received her library science degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and was a school librarian in Detroit before returning to Terre Haute, Indiana.

On April 17, 1977, Ms. Foster, along with five other local authors, was honored by the Friends of the Indiana State University Cunningham Memorial Library at a reception held at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana.

In 1979, Ms. Foster donated from her personal collection, four first edition volumes of the works of poet Paul Laurence Dunbar to the Vigo County Public Library.

She passed away in February 1988 at the age of 69 in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Her books:

Kenya. New York: Watts, 1969.

Dahomey. New York: F. Watts, 1971.

The West Indies: A Conceptual View. New York: Carlton, 1976.

East Central Africa: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi. New York: Watts, 1981.

Sources: "F. Blanche Foster." Indiana Odyssey: Celebrating Local African American Authors. Vigo County Public Library, Feb. 2000. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. ; Davis, Bettie. "Terre Haute News." Indianapolis Recorder 3 Mar. 1979: 14. Print. ; Clark, Dorothy J. "Patrons Preview Set for YWCA Yule Bazaar." Terre Haute Tribune (Terre Haute, Ind.) 23 Nov. 1975: 65. Print. ; "Plan Reception to Honor Six Local Authors." Terre Haute Tribune (Terre Haute, Ind.) 7 Apr. 1977: 11. Print. ; "ISU to Fete Local Authors." Terre Haute Tribune (Terre Haute, Ind.) 16 Apr. 1977: 3. Print. ; "Local Authors Honored by Friends Group (Photo)". Terre Haute Tribune (Terre Haute, Ind.) 20 Apr. 1977: 12. Print. ; "Carole Jones Memorial Speaker." Terre Haute Tribune (Terre Haute, Ind.) 21 Apr. 1977: 9. Print. ; "An Afternoon of Black Art (Photo)." Indianapolis Recorder 12 Oct. 1974: 4. Print. ; "Newlyweds at the Webbs." Indianapolis Recorder 6 Oct. 1979: 7. Print. ; Davis, Bettie. "Terre Haute News." Indianapolis Recorder 3 Mar. 1979: 14. Print. ; "Indiana Black Assembly Endorses Hatcher Plan to Form New Group." Indianapolis Recorder 16 Aug. 1975: 1, 13. Print. ; "Deaths."  Indianapolis Star 16 Feb. 1988: 32. Print.

Dharathula Millender: Librarian, Author, and Historian -- One of Indiana's Own

Dharathula “Dolly” Hood Millender (1920-2015), a librarian, author, and historian, was born on February 4, 1920 in Terre Haute, Indiana. Her parents were Orestes Hood and Daisy Eslick Hood. 

Ms. Millender attended Indiana State Teacher’s College (now Indiana State University) in Terre Haute, Indiana, receiving her undergraduate degree in 1941. She pursued her library science education at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, graduating in 1969 with a Masters of Science in Educational Media. In addition, Ms. Millender was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) sorority and was the wife of Justyn Millender.

Throughout her career, Ms. Millender served as a librarian in various libraries across the country -- working in Maryland, South Carolina, and Washington, D.C. (at the Library of Congress). From 1960 until 1978, she was a school librarian at Pulaski Junior High School in Gary, Indiana; and was a member of the Northwest Division of the Indiana State Teachers Association’s Library Section. In addition, she was a member of the Gary Public Library Board and was Gary’s first elected Councilwoman-at-Large.

As a historian and author, Mrs. Millender once served as the Chief Executive Officer for the Gary Historical and Cultural Society, and wrote several books on African American history for children, educators, and adults:

Crispus Attucks, Boy of Valor. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1965. Print.

Real Negroes, Honest Settings: Children's and Young People's Books About Negro Life and History. Chicago: American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, 1967. Print.

"Through a Glass Darkly." School Library Journal 15 (Dec. 1967): 29-34. Print.

Yesterday in Gary: A Brief History of the Negro in Gary. Gary, Ind.: D. Millender, 1967. Print.

Martin Luther King, Jr.: Boy with a Dream. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1969. Print.

Louis Armstrong: Young Music Maker. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1972. Print.

Crispus Attucks, Black Leader of Colonial Patriots. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1982. Print.

Martin Luther King, Jr.: Young Man with a Dream. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1983. Print.

“Through A Glass Darkly (Excerpt).” The Black American in Books for Children: Readings in Racism. Ed. MacCann, Donnarae and Gloria Woodard. Metuchen, N.J: Scarecrow Press, 1985. Print.

Millender, Naomi, Bettye Turner, Dharathula H. Millender, and Barbara Polk. The Black History Resource Manual of Classroom Activities: The Cultural Linguistic Approach. Chicago: Cultural Linguistic Approach to Education, 1989. Print.

Gary's Central Business Community. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2003. Print.


On Tuesday, February 2, 2010, U.S. Representative Peter J. Visclosky of Indiana honored Ms. Millender on celebrating her 90th birthday (February 4th) and her lifework. In April 2011, the Indiana University-Northwest Chapter of the Neal-Marshall Alumni Club  presented Ms. Millender with the Legacy of Leadership Award.

Ms. Millender passed away at the age of 95 on December 25, 2015 in Gary, Indiana.


In 2012, I compiled a bibliography on Ms. Millender:


Fenton, Michele T. A Bibliography of Books by Author and Librarian Dharathula Millender: With a Brief Biography of Her Life. Indianapolis, Ind.: Little Known Black Librarian Facts, 2012. Print.


Update 05/10/2016:

See related posts: Etka Braboy Gaskin and the Gary Public Library (Gary, Indiana); and Bernice Appleton Wilder: First African American Director of the Gary Public Library (Gary, Indiana).

Sources: “May We Introduce Mrs. Dharathula Millender.” Gary Public Library Bulletin 1973 Jan.: 3. Print. ; “Officers and Committees of Indiana Library Organizations, 1971-1972.” Library Occurrent 24.1 (1972): 20. Print. ; Visclosky, Peter J. “Dolly Millender.” Congressional Record 156.15 (2010): E125-E126. Print. ; Millender, Dharathula H. "Through A Glass Darkly." School Library Journal 15 (1967): 29-34. Print. ; “It’s No Military Secret!” Indianapolis Recorder 1945 Sept. 15: 3. Print. ; “City Observes Crispus Attucks Day in Ceremonies on Circle.” Indianapolis Recorder 1968 Mar. 9: 15. Print. ; Rogers, Clema V. “Eastside News.” Indianapolis Recorder 1979 Jan. 20: 4. Print. ; Grant, George, comp. “Millender, Dharathula (Dolly).” The Directory of Ethnic Professionals in LIS. Winter Park: Four-G Publishers, 1991. 154. Print. ; Wilson, Rose Ann. “Dolly Millender Inspires M.I.S. Students.” Northwest Indiana Times 2012 Apr. 26:n.pag. Web. 2012 Nov. 11. ; Banas, Emily and Charles Shield. “IU Northwest Neal Marshall Club Recognizes 2011 Award Recipients: Student and Community-Centered Service Central to Awardees.” Indiana University Northwest News 2011 Apr. 26:n.pag. Web. 2012 Nov. 11 ; Fenton, Michele T. A Bibliography of Books by Author and Librarian Dharathula Millender: With a Brief Biography of Her Life. Indianapolis, Ind.: Little Known Black Librarian Facts, 2012. Print. ; Davich, Jerry. "Gary Loses Its Beloved Historian on Christmas Day." Chicago Tribune 2015 Dec. 27: n.pag. Web. 2016 Apr. 28.

Doris Hargrett Clack: Noted Cataloger, Professor, and Author

Doris Hargrett Clack, a noted cataloger, was once a professor of library science at Florida State University. She also was a cataloger at Florida A&M University. Ms. Clack received her library education at the University of Michigan and at the University of Pittsburgh. In addition, Ms. Clack was the author of several books, including An Illustrative Manual for Use with AACR2; Authority Control: Principles, Applications, and Instructions; and Black Literature Resources: Analysis and Organization. She passed away in 1995.

Sources: Reason, Joseph H. "Black Librarians in Florida." The Black Librarian in the Southeast: Reminiscences, Activities, Challenges. Ed. Annette L. Phinazee. Durham: NCCU School of Library Science, 1980. 30. Print. ; Dawson, Alma. "Celebrating African American Librarians and Librarianship." Library Trends 49.1 (2000): 56. Print. ; Wilkes, Adeline W. "Doris Hargrett Clack, 1928-1995: Called to Teach." Cataloging and Classification Quarterly 25.2-3 (1998): 111-125. Print. ; Shockley, Ann Allen. "Librarians, Archivists, and Writers: A Personal Perspective." The Black Librarian in America Revisited. Ed. E.J. Josey. Metuchen: Scarecrow, 1994. 322. Print. ; Tallman, Karen. "Doris Hargrett Clack: Not Subject to Classification." American Libraries 9.8 (1978): 467. Print. ; Stone, Alva T. " Doris Hargrett Clack, 1928-1995: Educator, Gentle Activist, and Mentor." Library Resources & Technical Services 40.2 (1996): 197-200.Print.
 

Arna Wendell Bontemps: Fisk University Librarian, Poet, and Author

Arna W. Bontemps (1902-1973), a native of Alexandria, Louisiana, was the first African American to serve as University Librarian for Fisk University (1943-1965). Mr. Bontemps, a 1943 graduate of the University of Chicago Library School, was also an author, poet, and a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He passed away in 1973.

See related post: Marcus Bruce Christian (1900-1976), Louisiana Librarian

Sources: "The Negro Writer in the United States: University of  California at Berkley Plays Host to Five-Day Seminar on Negro Literature." Ebony 20.1 (1964): 126, 131-132, 134. Print. ; Jordan, Casper Leroy, and Josey, E.J. "A Chronology of Events in Black Librarianship." Handbook of Black Librarianship. Ed. E.J. Josey and Marva L. DeLoach. 2nd ed. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2000. 7. Print. ; "Arna Bontemps Named to Library Board." Jet 4.9 (1953): 51. Print. ; "Fisk's Famed Librarian, Bontemps, Moves Out of Post." Jet 28.13 (1965): 25. Print. ; "Author Arna Bontemps Dies Reading Rosary at Wake of Meharry Physician's Wife." Jet 44.13 (1973): 44. Print. ; Campbell, Dorothy Wilson. "Curators of African American Collections." The Black Librarian in the Southeast: Reminiscences, Activities, Challenges. Ed. Annette L. Phinazee. Durham: NCCU School of Library Science, 1980. 191. Print. ; Shockley, Ann Allen. "Special Collections, Fisk University Library." Library Quarterly 58.2 (1988): 151, 154. Print. ; Sinnette, Elinor D. V.  Arthur Alfonso Schomburg, Black Bibliophile & Collector: A Biography. New York: New York Public Library, 1989. 115, 129. Print. ; Jones, Kirkland C. Renaissance Man from Louisiana: A Biography of Arna Wendell Bontemps. Westport: Greenwood, 1992. Print. ; Jefferson, Julius C. “The Black Male Librarian: An Endangered Species.” The National Diversity in Libraries Conference. Louisville Marriott Downtown, Louisville, KY. 3 Oct. 2008. Pdf.


Update 09/13/2012:

An additional article on Arna Wendell Bontemps:

Thompson, John Downing. "African Americans and Education: A Study of Arna Bontemps."  Syracuse University Library Associates Courier 33, [paper 342] (2001): 77-99. Print.

Update 11/17/2015:

Arna Wendell Bontemps is mentioned in a piece I wrote on Fisk University:

Fenton, Michele. "Fisk University." African American Leadership: A Concise Reference Guide. Ed. Tyson King-Meadows. [Santa Barbara, CA]: Mission Bell Media, 2015. 93-94. Print.

Nella Larsen: Author and Librarian

Nella Larsen (1891-1964), a writer and the first African American woman to receive a Guggenheim Fellowship, was a children's librarian at the 135th Street Branch of the New York Public Library. She also worked at the Seward Park and Countee Cullen branches. In 1923, Ms. Larsen received her librarian's certificate from the Library School of the New York Public Library (the school merged in 1926 with the New York State Library School to become Columbia University School of Library Service).

Sources: Potter, Joan. African American Firsts (Updated). New York: Dafina Books, 2009. 105. Print. ; "All Fellows: Nella Larsen." John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. ; Hutchinson, George. In Search of Nella Larsen: A Biography of the Color Line. Cambridge: Belknap of Harvard U P, 2006. 8, 65, 68, 139-143, 145-152. Print, ; Davis, Thadious M. Nella Larsen: Novelist of the Harlem Renaissance: A Woman's Life Unveiled. Baton Rouge: Louisiana U P, 1994. 144-147, 149-151, 216-217. Print. ; Shockley, Ann Allen. "Librarians, Archivists, and Writers: A Personal Perspective." Ed. E.J. Josey. The Black Librarian in America Revisited. Metuchen: Scarecrow, 1994. 322. Print. ; Hill, Claudia. "135th Street Library." Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance. Ed. Cary D. Wintz and Paul Finkelman. Vol. 2. New York: Routledge, 2004. 926. Print. ; Roffman, Karin. "Nella Larsen, Librarian at 135th Street." MFS Modern Fiction Studies 53.4 (2007): 752-787. Print.