African American State Law Librarians of West Virginia

From 1900-1906, Samuel W. Starks was the state law librarian for the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.

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 L. DeLoach. 2nd ed. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2000. 4. Print. ; "Western Colored School." National Historic Register of Historic Places Registration Form - Section 8. Washington: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Park Service, 1993. 5. Pdf. West Virginia Culture, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. ; Posey, Thomas E. The Negro Citizen of West Virginia. Institute: West Virginia State College, 1934. 39, 43, 47, 60. Print. ; Josey, E.J. "The Role of the Black Library and Information Professional in the Information Society: Myths and Realities." Educating Black Librarians: Papers from the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the School of Library and Information Sciences, North Carolina Central University. Ed. Benjamin F. Speller, Jr. Jefferson: McFarland, 1991. 52. Print.

John C. Gilmer was the state law librarian of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, 1906-1913.

Sources: Posey, Thomas E. The Negro Citizen of West Virginia. Institute: West Virginia State College, 1934. 47, 50, 60. Print. ; The West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. Richwood: Comstock, 1976. 1841. Print.

Leroy Oliver Wilson was the state law librarian, 1914-1917.

Sources: "Western Colored School." National Historic Register of Historic Places Registration Form - Section 8. Washington: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Park Service, 1993. 3-5. Pdf. West Virginia Culture, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. ; Posey, Thomas E. The Negro Citizen of West Virginia. Institute: West Virginia State College, 1934. 43, 47. Print.

J. Arthur Jackson was the state law librarian, 1921-1965.

Sources: "Ex-High Court Librarian, Jackson, Dies at 93." Charleston Gazette 4 Nov. 1978: n.pag. West Virginia Archives & History. Web. 23 October 2010. ; 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. 6. Print. ; Posey, Thomas E. The Negro Citizen of West Virginia. Institute: West Virginia State College, 1934. 47, 49. Print.

                                                                                                                             

Dr. Lucille Cole Thomas: The First and Only African American President of the New York Library Association (NYLA)

*Submitted by Dr. Lucille Cole Thomas


Lucille Cole Thomas is the first and only African American president of the New York Library Association (1977-1978), and the first African American to serve as president of the School Library Media Section (SLMS) (1973-1974) of the New York Library Association (NYLA). In addition, she was the first African American elected president of the New York City School Librarians Association (1970-1972) and The New York Library Club (1977-1978). Dr. Thomas received her library science degree from Columbia University (1957), where she was active as president of the alumni association. She is also a graduate of New York University and Bennett College.


A member of the American Library Association (ALA) since 1965, Thomas has served on the ALA Council and Executive Board. In 2003, at the Annual ALA Conference in Toronto, she was awarded ALA's highest honor, "Honorary Member." Thomas' international library service includes president of the International Association of School Librarianship (IASL) (1989-1994), NGO Representative of International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) to the United Nations, and the chair of several committees.

In 1982, she was one of five educators from the United States to participate in the French Ministry Cultural Exchange Program. One week was spent in Paris, France visiting cultural institutions and interacting with officials. In 1990, the American Library Association (ALA) and the International  Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) selected Thomas as the only librarian representative to the "World Conference on Education" in Jomtien, Thailand. Among the 2,000 delegates from 150 countries participants, Thomas represented all libraries. Her report was included in the final conference report. In 2002, she testified before the United States House of Representatives' Committee on Education and the Workforce during its reauthorization hearing on the Museum and Library Service Act (click here to view transcript of hearing).

In 1974, Dr. Thomas founded "School Library Media Day (NYLA)", and in 1985, "School Library Media Month (AASL/ALA)". From 1993 to the present, Thomas serves as Trustee of the Brooklyn Public Library (NY), an appointment by the mayor of the city of New York. During that time she was elected president for three years. The Queen College School of Library and Information Studies (CUNY) named an award, the Lucille Thomas Library Award, in her honor in 2010.

Sources:

Thomas, Lucille Cole. "Public Libraries in the 21st Century: Challenges and Solutions." The 21st Century Black Librarian in America: Issues and Challenges. Ed. Andrew P. Jackson, Julius C. Jefferson, and Akilah S. Nosakhere. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2012. 79-84. Print.


"Lucille C. Thomas: She Helps Make Librarians 'Master Builders and Creators'."American Libraries 32.3-4 (1978): 83. Print.


"Lucille C. Thomas Named 2007 Freedom to Read Foundation Roll of Honor Award Recipient." Freedom to Read Foundation. American Library Association, 8 June 2007. Web. 11 July 2012.
[http://www.ala.org/news/news/pressreleases2007/june2007/thomasfreedomtoreadaward ]


"Minutes." IFLA Section on Library Services to Multicultural Populations. IFLA, 6 July 2012. Web. 11 July 2012.
[Minutes from the 2001 Meeting in Boston and the 2001 Midwinter Meeting in Granada can be accessed: http://www.ifla.org/en/mcultp/minutes ]


Queens College School of Library and Information Studies Student Handbook, Fall 2010. New York: Queens College School of Library and Information Studies, 2010. 22.Print.
[See: http://www.Qcpages.qc/Cuny.edu/GSLIS/handbooks/Student_Handbook.doc ]


Equipping Museums and Libraries for the 21st Century: Hearing before the Subcommittee in Select Education of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventh Congress, Second Session, Hearing Held in Washington, DC, February 14, 2002. Washington: U.S. G.P.O., 2002. Print.
[Also available: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-107hhrg81193/pdf/CHRG-107hhrg81193.pdf ]


Thomas, Lucille C. "School Libraries in the New York City Schools." Bookmark 50.1 (1991). Print.  
[This special issue of Bookmark is also called School Library Media Program Connections for Learning ; Abstract found here: http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/detail?accno=ED346857 ]


Dawson, Alma. "Celebrating African American Librarians and Libraries." Library Trends 49.1 (2000): 59. Print.
[Also available at: http://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/8328/librarytrendsv49ild-opt.pdf?s ]


"Breaking New Ground: Bedford Library Reopens & Ninth Annual Gala Event." Brooklyn Public Library. Brooklyn Public Library,14 Nov. 2005.Web. 12 July 2012.
[http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/media/press/breaking-new-ground-bedford-library-reopens-ninth-annual-gala-event ]


"Annual Report 2009 Brooklyn Public Library." Brooklyn Public Library. Brooklyn Public Library, 2010. Web. 12 July 2012.
[ http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/sites/default/files/files/ar09.pdf ]


Thomas, Lucille C. "World Literacy and the Role of Libraries." IFLA Journal 19.2 (1993): 162-167. Print.


Nottingham, Sharon. "Lucille Thomas: A Legend from Brooklyn to the World." The Bulletin of the New York Library Association 44.3 (1996): 15-16. Print.


Thomas, Lucille. Chapter in What Black Librarians are Saying. Ed. E.J. Josey. Metuchen: Scarecrow, 1972.


Thomas, Lucille. "Ethical Considerations in an Age of Technology." School Library Media Annual, 1985. Ed.Shirley Aaron and Pat Scales. Littleton: Libraries Unlimited, 1985. 423-431. Print.


Staino, Rocco. "Lucille Thomas on the 25th Anniversary of School Library Media Month." School Library Journal. School Library Journal, 7 Apr. 2010. Web. 11 July 2012. [http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6724833.html]


Update 10/22/2019 (by Michele Fenton):

Dr. Thomas passed away on June 15, 2019 at the age of 97:

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nytimes/obituary.aspx?n=lucille-thomas&pid=193215703

Virginia Lacy Jones: Second African American to Earn PhD in Library Science

Virginia Lacy Jones (1912-1984), a 1936 graduate of the Hampton Institute Library School, was the second dean of the library school at Atlanta University (now Clark-Atlanta University). She was also the second African American to earn a Ph.D. in library science, which she earned from the University of Chicago. For two years, Ms. Jones served as an editorial consultant for Library Journal.  Before coming to Atlanta University, Ms. Jones was a librarian at the Louisville Municipal College for Negroes (now Simmons College of Kentucky), Hampton Institute (now Hampton University), and Prairie View State College (now Prairie View A&M University).  

Update 07/07/2012:
Eliza Atkins Gleason was the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in library science and was the first dean of the library school at Atlanta University (now Clark-Atlanta University). Like Jones, Gleason earned her Ph.D. at the University of Chicago.

See related posts: Librarian Education: Eliza Atkins Gleason, First African American to Earn PhD in Library Science and Annette Hoage Phinazee: Dean, Professor, Author, and Librarian.

Sources: Jones, Virginia Lacy. "A Dean's Career." The Black Librarian in America. Ed. E.J. Josey. Metuchen: Scarecrow, 1970. 19-42. Print. ; "Top Negro Librarians Air Views on Library Segregation." Jet 20.5 (1961): 24-25. Print. ; Jordan, Casper and E.J. Josey. "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. ; Woodson, Almeta Gould. "Fifty Years of Service: A Chronological History of the School of Library Service Atlanta University, 1941-1979; the School of Library and Information Studies Atlanta University, 1979-1989; the School of Library and Information Studies, Clark Atlanta University, 1989-1991." Georgia Librarian 28.3 (1991): 71-77. Print. ; Totten, Herman L. "Southeastern Black Educators." The Black Librarian in the Southeast: Reminiscences, Activities, Challenges. Ed. Annette L. Phinazee. Durham: NCCU School of Library Science, 1980. 206. Print. ; Jordan, Casper Leroy. "The Multifaceted Life of Virginia Lacy Jones." The Black Librarian in America Revisited. Ed. E.J. Josey. Metuchen: Scarecrow, 1994. 75-86. Print. ; McPheeters, Annie L. Library Service in Black and White: Some Personal Recollections, 1921-1980. Metuchen: Scarecrow, 1988. 9-10, 131. Print. ; "Atlanta University Center Exhibition Hall Named for Dr. Virginia Lacy Jones." Jet 68.16 (1985): 19. Print. ; "College and School News." Crisis 63.7 (1956): 436. Print. ; "College and School News." Crisis 50.11 (1943): 323. Print. ; "Segregation in Libraries." Crisis 68.6 (1961): 342-343. Print. ; "College and School News." Crisis 71.10 (1969): 701. Print. ; A Directory of Negro Graduates of Accredited Library Schools, 1900-1936. Washington: Columbia Civic Library Association, 1937. 15. Print. ; Josey, E.J. "Foreword." Educating Black Librarians: Papers from the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the School of Library and Information Sciences, North Carolina Central University. Ed. Benjamin F. Speller, Jr. Jefferson: McFarland, 1991. xi. Print. ; "Receives Doctorate at University of Chicago." Indianapolis Recorder 6 Oct. 1945: 5. Print. ; Freightman, Connie Green. "Historically Black College Closes Its Library Studies Program." The Crisis 112.1 (2005): 10. Print.
                   
.

Charlemae Hill Rollins and the Chicago Public Library (Chicago, Illinois)

Charlemae Hill Rollins (1897-1979), the first African American to serve as president of the Children’s Services Division of the American Library Association (1957-1958), was an author and a noted children’s librarian at the Chicago Public Library.

Ms. Rollins, a native of Yazoo City, Mississippi, was the daughter of Allen G. and Birdie Tucker Hill. She attended Howard University in Washington, D.C. Ms. Rollins worked as a school teacher before entering the field of librarianship. In 1918, she married Joseph Walter Rollins.

Ms. Rollins began her library career at the Harding Square Branch of the Chicago Public Library in 1927. She received her library science education at University of Chicago and at Simmons College. She later became the Children’s Department Head at the George Cleveland Hall Branch of the Chicago Public Library where Vivian Gordon Harsh was branch manager. Built in 1932, this branch was the first one located in an African American neighborhood. Ms. Rollins passed away in 1979.

*Note: The Children's Services Division of the American Library Association is now Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC).

*Update 6/05/2013:

Ms. Rollins was the first African American female to receive an honorary membership from the American Library Association. The award was given to her in 1972.

Sources: Rude, Dan. "ALSC Charlemae Rollins President's Program presents Think with Your Eyes!" ALAnews 31 May 2013:n. pag. Web. 3 June 2013. ; "Rollins, Charlemae." American Library Association Honorary Member Listing. American Library Association, n.d. Web. 5 June 2013.

See related post: Vivian Gordon Harsh and the Chicago Public Library.

Sources: Willet, Holly G. "We Build Together: Charlemae Rollins and African American Children's Literature." American Education History Journal 31.1 (2004): 51-57. Print. ; "Charlemae Rollins, 80, Noted Librarian, Dies." Jet 55.23 (1979): 53. Print. ; "Charlemae Hill Rollins, Noted Children's Librarian and Editor, Remembered in Chicago." Jet 91.6 (1996): 12-13. Print. ; "Rollins Foundation Set Up to Help Change Portrayal of Blacks in Literacy." Jet 81.3 (1991): 23. Print. ; "Society World." Jet 53.13 (1977): 36. Print. ; Lensinski, Jeanne M. "Charlemae Hill Rollins." Answers.com. Web. 10 Dec. 2010. ; Dawson, Alma. "Celebrating African American Librarians and Librarianship." Library Trends 49.1 (2000): 60. Print. ; Shaw, Spencer G. "Not Whay You Get, But What You Give." The Black Librarian in America. Ed. E.J. Josey. Metuchen: Scarecrow, 1970. 153. Print. ; "Black History Prophets and Custodians: Handful of Men and Women Created Foundations of Saga of Persistence and Creativity." Ebony 50.4 (1995): 90. Print. ; Des Jardins, Julie. "Black Librarians and the Search for Women's Biography during the New Negro History Movement." OAH Magazine of History 20.1 (2006): 16. Print. ; Tolson, Nancy. "Making Books Available: The Role of Early Libraries, Librarians, and Booksellers in the Promotion of African American Children's Literature." African American Review 32.1 (1998): 9-16. Print. ; Wright, Joyce. "Black Librarians as Creative Writers." Handbook of Black Librarianship. Ed. E.J. Josey and Marva DeLoach. 2nd. ed. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2000. 656-657. Print. ; O'Connor, Sean. "The George Cleveland Hall Branch Library." Examiner.com. 23 May 2010. Web. 23 June 2012. ; "George Cleveland Hall Branch- Chicago Public Library." In Honor of: Libraries Named for African Americans. Ed. George L. Grant. Jonesboro: GrantHouse Publishers, 2011. 80. Print. ; "Charley May Hill [Charlemae]." United States Census, 1900. FamilySearch.org, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. ; "Charlemae Rollins." United States Census, 1930. FamilySearch.org, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. ; "Charlemae Hill Rollins, 1897-1979." School Library Journal Mar. 1979: 78. Print. ; "Charlemae Hill Rollins Dies." American Libraries 10 (1979): 105. Print. ; Rude, Dan. "ALSC Charlemae Rollins President's Program presents Think with Your Eyes!" ALAnews 31 May 2013:n. pag. Web. 3 June 2013. ; "Rollins, Charlemae." American Library Association Honorary Member Listing. American Library Association, n.d. Web. 5 June 2013.

Major R. Owens: U.S. Congressman and Librarian

Major Owens (1936-2013) was the first professional librarian and first African American librarian to serve in the United States Congress. Mr. Owens was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983-2007. He represented the 11th Congressional District of New York. While in Congress, Owens introduced legislation which would have required that only professional librarians be appointed to serve as the Librarian of Congress, however the legislation never became law. Owens is also an alumni of Morehouse College and the Altanta University Library School (Atlanta University is now Clark-Atlanta University). In addition, Mr. Owens was a librarian at the Brooklyn Public Library, and contributed essays for The Black Librarian in America Revisited and Educating Black Librarians: Papers from the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the School of Library and Information Services, North Carolina Central University. After leaving the United States Congress, Owens became a visiting scholar at the Library of Congress's Kluge Center.

Update 07/30/2012:

To view a copy of the legislation Major Owens introduced regarding the professional/educational requirements of the Librarian of Congress, click on the link below:

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-103hr906ih/pdf/BILLS-103hr906ih.pdf

Update 01/19/2013:

Major Owens is the father of actor Geoffrey Owens. Geoffrey Owens is best known for his role as Elvin Tibideaux on the NBC sitcom, "The Cosby Show."  Starring Bill Cosby as Dr. Cliff Huxtable, the head of an African American family living in Brooklyn, New York, "The Cosby Show" aired on NBC from 1984 until 1992.

Update 03/19/2013:
See related posts: William Henry Smith: Librarian for the U.S. House of Representatives, 1881-1891 ; Henry Proctor Slaughter: Compositor for the United States Government Printing Office, Bibliophile, Collector, and Newspaper Editor ; and John F.N. Wilkinson and the Law Library of Congress.

Update 10/23/2013:

Major Owens passed away at the age of 77 on Monday, October 21, 2013 at the New York University Langone Medical Center in Manhattan.


Sources: “Congressman Major Owens.” African American History Month: Profiles. Library of Congress, n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. ; Scott, Diane R. Celebrating African American Librarians. Feb. 2009: 7. Print. ; “Major Robert Odell Owens.” Black Americans in Congress. Office of the Clerk, U.S. Capitol, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. ; “New Faces on Capitol Hill.” Ebony 38.4 (1983): 38, 40. Print. ; “Cong. Major Owens Honored in New York.” Jet 80.7 (1991): 29. 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. 14-15. Print. ; Dawson, Alma. “Celebrating African American Librarians and Librarianship.” Library Trends 49.1 (2000): 60. Print. ; Owens, Major R. “The Specter of Racism in an Age of Cultural Diversity: The New Paradigm for African American Librarians.” The Black Librarian in America Revisited. Ed. E.J. Josey. Metuchen: Scarecrow, 1994. 285-297. Print. ; Woodson, Almeta Gould. “Fifty Years of Service: A Chronological History of the School of Library Service Atlanta University, 1941-1979; the School of Library and Information Studies Atlanta University, 1979-1989; the School of Library and Information Studies, Clark Atlanta University, 1989-1991.” Georgia Librarian 28.3 (1991): 77. Print. ; Owens, Major R. “The Voice of the Librarian Must Be Heard.” Educating Black Librarians: Papers from the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the School of Library and Information Services, North Carolina Central University. Ed. Benjamin F. Speller, Jr. Jefferson: McFarland, 1991. 61-67. Print. ; “Owens, Major Robert Odell, (1936-).” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. United States Congress, n.d. Web. 6 Nov. 2011. ; Urschel, Donna. “U.S. Congressman Owens Named Distinguished Visiting Scholar at John W. Kluge Center.” News from the Library of Congress. Library of Congress, 26 Dec. 2006. Web. 14 June 2012. ; H.R. 906: To Require That the Librarian of Congress Be Appointed among Individuals with Specialized Training or Significant Experience in the Field of Library and Information Science. Washington, D.C. : U.S. G.P.O., 1993. 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. ; “Geoffrey Owens.” Internet Movie Database, n.d. IMDB.com, Inc. Web. 19 Jan. 2013. ; “The Cosby Show.” Carsey-Werner.net, 2002. The Carsey-Werner Company, LLC. Web. 19 Jan. 2013. ; Bobinski, George S. Libraries and Librarianship: Sixty Years of Challenge and Change, 1945-2005. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2007. 100. Print. ; "Making a Difference: Our Librarian in Congress." American Libraries 32.6 (2001): 56-59. Print. ; Fried, Joseph P. "Major Owens, 77, Education Advocate in Congress, Dies." The New York Times. 23 Oct. 2013: A27. Print. ; "Major R. Owen Dies at 77." American Libraries Direct 23 Oct. 2013:n.pag. Web. 1 Nov. 2013.

Vivian Davidson Hewitt: First African American President of the Special Libraries Association (SLA)

Vivian Ann Davidson Hewitt (born February 17, 1920 in New Castle, Pennsylvania) was the first African American president of the Special Libraries Association (1978-1979). Ms. Hewitt received her library science degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Library and Information Sciences in 1944 (the school is now the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences).  While in library school, she did her library practicum at the 135th Street Branch of the New York Public Library (now the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture).

Vivian Ann Davidson Hewitt was also the first African American librarian to work at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1943-1949). In addition, Ms. Hewitt is believed to be Pittsburgh's first African American librarian. Ms. Hewitt was also an instructor at the library school at Atlanta University from 1949 until 1952 (Atlanta University is now Clark-Atlanta University).

After leaving Atlanta University, Ms. Hewitt worked as a researcher for the Crowell-Collier Publishing Company (1953-1955) and as chief librarian for the library of the Rockefeller Foundation (1955-1963). She later became chief librarian of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in New York City (1963-1983). In 2010, she published her autobiography, "The One and Only: Vivian Davidson Hewitt."  In May of 2011, Ms. Hewitt gave a lecture about her life, career and autobiography at the Library of Congress. She and her husband, John Hewitt, are the founders of the Hewitt Art Collection which is housed in the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts and Culture in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Update 07/30/2012:

To view Ms. Hewitt's lecture given at the Library of Congress, click on the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR1hQzpYqec

Update 6/30/2022:

Vivian Davidson passed away at the age of 102 on May 29, 2022. A celebration of life service was held at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York on June 21, 2022

Sources: Hewitt, Vivian Davidson. "A Special Librarian by Design." Special Libraries 62.2 (1971): 71-81. Print. ; Hewitt, Vivian D. "Special Libraries, Librarians and the Continuing Education of Black People." What Black Librarians Are Saying. Ed. E.J. Josey. Metuchen: Scarecrow, 1972. 268-274. Print. ; "Past Presidents- Special Libraries Association." Special Libraries Association, n.d. Web. 25 Sep. 2010. ; "Vivian Hewitt Biography." The History Makers. Web. 19 Dec. 2010. ; "Documenting Our History." Black Caucus of the American Library Association Newsletter 39.1 (2010): 12. Print. ; "Carnegie Mellon's Notable Alumni." Carnegie Mellon Alumni. Pittsburgh: Carnegie Mellon University, n.d. 5. Web. 19 Dec. 2010. ; Jordan, Casper Leroy and E.J. Josey. "A Chronology of Events in Black Librarianship." Handbook of Black Librarianship. Ed. E.J. Josey and Martha DeLoach. 2nd ed. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2000. 13. Print. ; Hewitt, Vivian D, and Ann Rothstein-Segan. The One and Only: Vivian Ann Davidson Hewitt. San Francisco, Calif.: Blurb, 2010. Print. ; "Vivian Davidson." United States Census, 1940. FamilySearch.org, n.d. Web. 3 Mar. 2013. ; Bobinski, George S. Libraries and Librarianship: Sixty Years of Challenge and Change, 1945-2005. Lanham: Scarecrow, 2007. 100. Print. ; Risen, Clay. "Vivian Hewitt, Who Amassed a Major Collection of Black Art, Dies at 102." New York Times June 22, 2022. Web, 30 June 2022. ; "The Gantt Center Mourns the Loss of Art Collector and Benefactor Vivian Davidson Hewitt." The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American History and Culture, n.d. Web. 30 June 2022.; "Calendar." The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, 21 June 2022. Web. 30 June 2022.

The Free Colored Carnegie Branch of the Lawson McGhee Library (Knoxville, Tennessee)

The Lawson McGhee Library of Knoxville, Tennessee opened the Free Colored Carnegie Branch in 1918 to provide services for the city's African American residents. Charles Warner Cansler, a noted African American teacher and lawyer, helped secure a gift of $10,000 from Andrew Carnegie for the branch's construction. The Free Colored Carnegie Branch remained in operation until 1961. In 1930, the Lawson McGhee Library began offering services to African Americans at a second location, the Murphy Branch Library. The Murphy Branch is still in operation. The Lawson McGhee Library now serves as the central library for the Knox County Public Library System.

See related posts: The Negro Branch of the Carnegie Library of Nashville (Nashville, Tennessee) ; The Colored School Department of the Cossitt Library (Memphis, Tennessee); and The Howard Branch of the Chattanooga Public Library (Chattanooga, Tennessee).

Update 01/01/2013:
Charles Warner Cansler was the son of Laura Ann Scott Cansler. A native of North Carolina, Laura Ann Scott Cansler was the first African American teacher in Knoxville, Tennessee. In 1864, Mrs. Cansler opened the Burnside School, a school for African Americans. The school was named for General Ambrose Everett Burnside, a Civil War general and U.S. senator (Republican - Rhode Island).

See: McRary, Amy. "Laura Ann Cansler Was Knoxville's First African American Teacher." Knoxnews.com. Knoxville News Sentinel, 29 Dec. 2012. Web. 1 Jan. 2013. ; Cotham, Steve. "Local Black History: Charles Warner Cansler." Knoxnews.com. Knoxville News Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2011. Web. 19 May 2012. ; "Burnside, Ambrose Everett (1824-1881)." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-Present. United States Congress, n.d. Web. 1 Jan. 2013. 

On December 29, 2012, a story written by Erica Taylor on Laura Ann Scott Cansler was featured in the "Tom Joyner Morning Show's Little Known Black History Fact" column:

Little Known Black History Fact: Laura Ann Cansler (written by Erica Taylor)
http://blackamericaweb.com/85492/little-known-black-history-fact-laura-ann-cansler/


Sources: Miller, Ernest I. "Library Services for Negroes in Tennessee." Journal of Negro Education 10.4 (1941): 637. Print. ; Hudson, Earline H. "Library Service to Blacks and Black Librarians in Tennessee." The Black Librarian in the Southeast: Reminiscences, Activities, Challenges. Ed. Annette L. Phinazee. Durham: NCCU School of Library Science, 1980. 104, 109, 112. Print. ; "Knox County Public Library History." About the Library. Knoxville County Public Library, 2007. Web. 19 May 2012. ; Cotham, Steve. "Local Black History: Charles Warner Cansler." Knoxnews.com. Knoxville News Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2011. Web. 19 May 2012. ; "Burnside, Ambrose Everett (1824-1881)." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-Present. United States Congress, n.d. Web. 1 Jan. 2013.