Freedom libraries

Freedom libraries[1] were community libraries set up by activist organizations and private individuals to serve African Americans during the civil rights movement.

Background

During the first half of the twentieth century, most African Americans living in the Southern United States lacked access to tax-supported public libraries.[2][3] Due to their support of racial segregation, White Southerners severely restricted or completely blocked African Americans’ use of existing public libraries.[1][2][3]

Establishment

As part of the civil rights movement, African American activists and their allies challenged many types of racial discrimination, including in public libraries.[1] In the 1960s, supportive organizations and individuals started creating freedom libraries to assist activists with their work and provide local African Americans with the library service previously denied to them by White leaders.[1]

The first freedom libraries were created by the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO).[4] Freedom libraries were often located in Freedom Schools or Community Centers.[5] During the summer of 1964, in Mississippi, around 50 freedom libraries were created, though there were libraries all around the country.[6][7] Freedom Libraries have been documented in Alabama, Arkansas, and Pennsylvania.[1]

Freedom libraries carried books "typical" of other American libraries, but also paid special attention to books about African American people or written by Black authors.[7][8] Freedom libraries were as large as 20,000 books, or small mobile libraries and many were created entirely with donated books.[9] These donations were often provided by volunteers from northeastern states.[10]

Challenges

Freedom libraries faced numerous challenges, including vandalism, fire-bombing, and other acts of terrorism.[7] One bombing took place in October of 1964 in Vicksburg, destroying over 9,000 books.[11] Landlords were reluctant to rent properties to freedom libraries because of the frequency of violent incidents.[12]

Impact

Civil Rights activist Richard James said that it was important for Black people to know about their own history.[13] For many African Americans, these libraries were the first time they had access to this information.[5]

References
  1. Selby, Mark (2019). Freedom Libraries: The Untold Story of Libraries for African Americans in the South. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
  2. Battles, David M. (2009). The History of Public Library Access for African Americans in the South: Or, Leaving Behind the Plow. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
  3. Hanbury, Dallas (2020). The Development of Southern Public Libraries and the African American Quest for Library Access, 1898-1963. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
  4. Jackson, Ashawnta (2022-01-10). "Freedom Libraries and the Fight for Library Equity". JSTOR Daily. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  5. "Local Civil Rights Memories Sought". Choctaw Plaindealer. 2006-09-06. p. 6. Retrieved 2022-04-07 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Morrow, Ree (6 April 2022). "Exploring the Legacy of Freedom Libraries During National Library Week". The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  7. Oringderff, Barbara (1966-06-25). "Libraries Not All Quiet; Have Exciting History". Garden City Telegram. p. 2. Retrieved 2022-04-07 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "GCM to Sponsor 'Freedom Library'". Delaware County Daily Times. 1965-08-07. p. 3. Retrieved 2022-04-07 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. Kaffer, Nancy (26 November 2006). "A Forgotten Piece of State History". Hattiesburg American. pp. 1A. Retrieved 7 April 2022 – via Newspapers.com. "History". pp. 9A.
  10. Cresswell, Stephen (1996). "The Last Days of Jim Crow in Southern Libraries". Libraries & Culture. 31 (3/4): 567. ISSN 0894-8631 – via JSTOR.
  11. "New Bombing Hits Rights Unit Center". The Baltimore Sun. 5 October 1964. p. 1. Retrieved 7 April 2022 – via Newspapers.com."Rights Group's House Hit in New Mississippi Blast". p. 3.
  12. "Libraries feel attacked — but not like the 'freedom libraries' of 1964". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
  13. Knesis, Barbara (1965-07-24). "Former Sit-In Stands Up to Aid GMC". Delaware County Daily Times. p. 21. Retrieved 2022-04-07 – via Newspapers.com.


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