Black History Archives | American Libraries Magazine

Golden Arches, Black Franchises

By Terra Dankowski | June 25, 2019

“The reason I’m conversant in [race, social justice, and public policy] topics is because it all started at the library,” she told those gathered for the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services President’s Program at the American Library Association’s 2019 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., on June 24. Chatelain reminisced about being dropping off … Continue reading Golden Arches, Black Franchises →

ALA Honors African Americans Who Fought Library Segregation

July 3, 2018

Resolution to Honor African Americans Who Fought Library Segregation Whereas the system of “Jim Crow” laws and customs officially existed into the 1960s—a century after the official end of slavery in the United States; Whereas virulent racism, disenfranchisement, Black Codes, and racial segregation laws imposed a rigid system of officially sanctioned racial segregation in virtually … Continue reading ALA Honors African Americans Who Fought Library Segregation →

Members of an African drum and dance ensemble lead patrons in a performance routine as part of Richland Library's day-long Black History Month Fair on January 28, 2017. Photo: Richland Library

Every Month Is Black History Month

By Quincy Pugh | March 1, 2018

Richland Library in Columbia, South Carolina, needed a better way to reach its African-American community. Quincy Pugh, film and sound manager, explains how the decision to celebrate black history year-round and start “I Have a Problem with That”—a series of panel discussions that address challenging social issues—has boosted program attendance and engagement among its target … Continue reading Every Month Is Black History Month →

Jessie Carney Smith in 1965, her first year as a university librarian at Fisk University in Nashville.

Blazing Trails

By Greg Landgraf | January 2, 2018

American Libraries spoke with five leading African-American librarians about their careers, the changes they have witnessed over the decades, and the current issues in librarianship. While no two people have the same story, all five interviewees note inclusivity as an important theme. They discuss libraries as safe havens, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the … Continue reading Blazing Trails →

Patricia Bearden (left) and Raquel Flores-Clemons present “Partners in History: Chicago State University Archive and International Society of Sons and Daughters of Slave Ancestry Digital Collaboration" at DPLAfest in Chicago on April 20.

DPLAfest Comes to Chicago

By John Amundsen | April 25, 2017

Several presentations highlighted efforts to document, preserve, and share digital collections on social justice and community engagement. Preserving African-American history on Chicago’s South Side “Partners in History: Chicago State University Archive and International Society of Sons and Daughters of Slave Ancestry Digital Collaboration,” led by Chicago State University (CSU) Archivist Raquel Flores-Clemons, Patricia Bearden, president … Continue reading DPLAfest Comes to Chicago →

Former Broward County (Fla.) Library Director Samuel F. Morrison stands next to a replica of himself. It stands at the entrance of the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center in Fort Lauderdale.

This Former Library Director Is Beside Himself

By Alison Marcotte | October 9, 2015

Morrison, who received his master’s in library science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, became director of the Broward County library system in 1990 and retired in 2003. As director, he began campaigning to build AARLCC, and in 2002, the 60,000-square-foot facility opened as a branch of Broward County Library. Its collection of books, … Continue reading This Former Library Director Is Beside Himself →

Black History Month Graphic Novels for Your Collection

By Sarah Hunter | February 5, 2015

Need to refresh your Black History Month offerings? Here are some graphic novels, both fiction and nonfiction, that address Black History in dynamic, engaging ways. For Adults: Darkroom: A Memoir in Black and White By Lila Quintero Weaver. Illus. by the author. 2012. Univ. of Alabama, paper, $24.95 (9780817357146). Perry County, Alabama, was a hotbed … Continue reading Black History Month Graphic Novels for Your Collection →

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Phil Morehart writes: “‘Ladies and gentlemen, there are speakers, and there’s Adolph Brown.’ The introduction of the Friday speaker at the AASL National Conference in Louisville was an understatement. A psychology professor at Hampton (Va.) University, Brown donned a sequined jacket and danced around the stage while music cues from James Brown’s 1970 single ‘Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine’ pumped through speakers in the ballroom. Another individual wearing baggy pants, an oversized shirt, a large backpack, and spiked braids soon joined Brown onstage, taking the role of the traditional hip-hop hype man. But it was all a ruse.”

AL: The Scoop, Nov. 19
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Phil Morehart writes: “The AASL National School Library Standards were the focus of concurrent sessions at the AASL 2019 National Conference, held November 14–16 in Louisville, Kentucky. Each program demonstrated how Standards foundations—inquire, include, collaborate, curate, explore, engage—are being applied by school librarians. At ‘Do the Bot: Librarians Using Robots to Impact Learning,’ Archon Auzenne, Lee Glover, and Gloria Miller—librarians from Clear Creek Independent School District in League City, Texas—showed how different types of robots can be used to teach students programming and coding.”

AL: The Scoop, Nov. 19
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The Brooklyn Public Library runs a wealth of programs, among them the Cookmobile, which offers free cooking classes for high schoolers, particularly in neighborhoods where fresh ingredients are in short supply. A compact 5-by-3-by-2-foot unit funded by the Bklyn Incubator, the Cookmobile is fitted with a sink, induction cooktop, convection oven, and enough cooking utensils for up to 30 students. It can be transported from place to place and wheeled right into the library, ready for a class. “We even have a Vitamix,” said Johanna Lewis, a librarian who teaches the classes with Adeeba Rana, also a librarian.

New York Times, Nov. 18
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Chandra Steele and Jason Cohen write: “Web notifications appear in the browser, dropping down from the URL bar to ask whether or not a website can use your location or send you notifications. Autoplay videos are usually sent from specific websites and interrupt your browsing experience. Push notifications are sent from specific services—like Slack, Twitter, or Facebook—and temporarily display over whatever window you have open. Luckily, major browser makers have tools to make certain alerts less invasive. Here’s what you need to know to keep these notifications and pop-ups in check.”

PC Magazine, Nov. 18
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A new analysis released November 18 reveals that more than $1 billion in federal funding for libraries will be allocated to states based on the 2020 Census. Published by Andrew Reamer of the George Washington Institute of Public Policy, the study pinpoints the financial impact the census will have on libraries. The population count in the decennial census determines the level of funding allotted to each state through LSTA, which provides federal funding to state library agencies to support libraries. The program is one of more than 300 federal programs that allocates funding to local communities based on data derived from the census.

ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office, Nov. 19
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Emily Stochl writes: “There are so many books coming out each week, it can be difficult to keep track of the publication dates of all these amazing new reads. But there are sites and resources that organize upcoming book releases by date, and will make keeping track a lot easier on you. Some catalog upcoming book releases for 2019, others run through early 2020. Here are five different options for you to try.”

Book Riot, Nov. 19
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Kelly Hincks writes: “Recently, a 2nd-grade teacher and I had the opportunity to work together on a project in math. Her class was finishing a unit on graphing and I recommended the book The Great Graph Contest by Loreen Leedy. The book sparked discussion in her classroom and the students wanted to create their own graphs based on questions of their choice. Here are the five steps that were used to complete this project.”

Knowledge Quest blog, Nov. 19

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