How a pioneering library pays forward its proud legacy (video)
The revival of a cultural institution means so much more if the community it serves makes use of it. In this companion video to his reported story, the Monitor鈥檚 videographer takes us inside Western Library in Louisville, Kentucky, to show both its innovative drive and its public reception.
The revival of a cultural institution means so much more if the community it serves makes use of it. In this companion video to his reported story, the Monitor鈥檚 videographer takes us inside Western Library in Louisville, Kentucky, to show both its innovative drive and its public reception.
Librarian Natalie Woods is protecting a history that has changed many lives, including her own.
She manages Louisville鈥檚 Western Library, a birthplace of Black librarianship in the United States. Founded in 1905 under segregation, Western is the oldest public library independently run by and for African Americans. Its first manager, the Rev. Thomas Fountain Blue, opened the first library school for Black Americans, who came to Western from across the South.
Aside from digitizing Western鈥檚 archive and offering tours, Ms. Woods also had a headstone installed on Blue鈥檚 unmarked grave.聽Years ago, while she was struggling with accidental vision loss, an encounter with the papers of Blue renewed her resolve to pursue library school.
鈥淚 realized how far ahead of his time he was,鈥� says Ms. Woods. 鈥淎nd I figured if he could do that then, then I could push through.鈥�
Today, students who come through reflect on Blue鈥檚 influence too. 鈥淸It鈥檚] really cool that we have so much history that鈥檚 so close 鈥� American history 鈥� that a lot of people don鈥檛 know about,鈥� says Louisa Sarpee, a ninth grader at nearby Central High School.聽