On April 16, ALA staff members gathered for a reading of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” as part of a worldwide celebration marking its 50th anniversary.
ALA was one of 207 sites around the world where King’s letter was being read aloud today. Although part of a larger, international event sponsored by the Birmingham Public Library (BPL), the ALA event was organized by its Office for Diversity (OFD) and the Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS), both helmed by director Michelle Harrell Washington.
“When the Public Library Association (PLA) brought the event to our attention, we knew we wanted to do something to show ALA’s support, and it coincided with National Library Week,” said Washington.
The letter was sectioned and delivered in its entirety by several readers chosen by OFD/OLOS staff in an effort to represent diversity in ethnic background, as well as perspective.
“We wanted to find people from all walks of life. We had people with historical connection to Dr. King, someone in the media, and we of course wanted to have librarians represented. The office staff was instrumental in making these connections, either through networks or making cold calls to people who might be a good fit,” Washington said. “And because of the diversity of our readers, the delivery of the letter was more impactful. I think our team did a very nice job of placing the readers thoughtfully without really knowing them.”
Two of the readers—Haki R. Madhubuti, poet, publisher, editor, educator, and founder of Third World Press, and Bennett Johnson, vice president of Third World Press—had met and worked with King during the civil rights movement. Madhubuti even shared a poem he wrote about the day King was shot.
Other readers included Carolyn Anthony, director of the Skokie (Ill.) Public Library and the 2013–2014 president of PLA; Ben Rodriguez, chair of the Spectrum Scholarship Program Advisory Committee; Keshia Garnett, manager of Chicago Public Library’s West Englewood branch; Satia M. Orange, former director of OLOS; Kim Bellware, associate Chicago editor for the Huffington Post; Felicia R. Shakespeare, library media specialist at Ross Elementary School; and Lian Sze, program coordinator at PLA.
“It was important to continue to remember and celebrate the letter,” Bellware said. “In 50 years, there will be two generations of people that are shocked by what life was like in a segregated America. It’s important to look back at it and understand the trauma it caused for so many people, and for our country. I’m so grateful that things changed. I couldn’t imagine living that way.”
“I had a great time participating in this event and I look forward to more of them happening in years to come,” Rodriguez said.
“I was very pleased with the level of staff support,” Washington said. “I know how busy we all get especially leading up to conference, but it was a lovely sight to see all those staff members attend.” She hopes this is the beginning of an annual ALA event during National Library Week.
