Overview

Black women have historically been hidden figures in librarianship, yet their passion, courage, and tenacity paved the way for future generations of knowledge workers. Profiling more than a dozen librarians, book champions, activists, and pioneers of the profession from across the country, this powerful work of archival storytelling will inspire readers both inside and outside of the library field. These personal histories of advocacy and resilience span the entire 20th Century, stretching from rural South Carolina and Florida to urban centers like New York and Los Angeles; profile better known figures such as Augusta Baker and Eliza Atkins Gleason as well as many who have yet to receive their due; grapple with the toxic legacy of segregation in library education, universities, public libraries, schools, and other institutions, showing how these persevering Black women dared to strive and work towards more equitable futures; include an inspiring Afterword by Dr. Aisha Johnson-Jones, an educator and revelator of Southern intellectual history; will encourage LIS students and newer librarians of all backgrounds to see themselves reflected in the profession’s long and rich heritage; and shed light on how librarianship can become ever more diverse and community centered.

Full Product Details

Author:   Nicole A. Cooke ,  Aisha M. Johnson
Publisher:   Association of College & Research Libraries
Imprint:   Association of College & Research Libraries
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.80cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.313kg
ISBN:  

9798892553261

Pages:   232
Publication Date:   31 July 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Not yet available  
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Introduction, by Nicole A. Cooke Prologue: Children at Augusta Baker’s Feet, poem by Jennifer Bartell Boykin Chapter 1 Augusta Baker: An Early Advocate for Diverse Books Nicole A. Cooke and Michael Weisenburg Chapter 2 Ella Baker at the New York Public Library Courtney Becks Chapter 3 Ethel Bolden Cynthia Johnson and Cearra Harris Chapter 4 Doris Hargrett Clack: Pioneer, Activist, and Educator Wendy Moore Chapter 5 Sweet Resolve: Mayme A. Clayton’s Response to the Precarity of African American Lives and Historical Materials Chaitra Powell Chapter 6 Resurgence of a Bibliotherapist: Exploring the Life and Times of Sadie “Sara” Marie Peterson Delaney S. Michele Echols Chapter 7 Eliza Atkins Gleason: Researcher, Dean, Advocate* LaKeshia Darden Chapter 8 Miriam Matthews and the Legacy of Black Documentation in Los Angeles Jesse R. Erickson, Laura E. Helton, and Dalena Hunter Chapter 9 Black Quiet: Continuing the Work of Activist Librarian and Community Advocate Annie L. McPheeters Roberta Price Gardner and Morris R. Gardner Chapter 10 Alice Roberts and the Breakdown of Segregation in Northern Library Schools, 1890-1940 Anthony Cocciolo Chapter 11 A Life of Service: Mattie Herd Roland in Birmingham, Alabama* Brooke Becker Chapter 12 A Fulfilling Legacy of Florida Firsts: The Pioneering Impact of Henrietta Mays Smith Jason Alston Chapter 13 Exploring Six Decades of Librarianship with Jessie Carney Smith Jahala Simuel and Bethany McGowan Chapter 14 Gently Daring: The Story of Anne Bethel Spencer—Poet, Librarian, Gardener, and Activist Shaina V. Anderson Chapter 15 Lucille C. Thomas: Championing Diversity Through Library Leadership Taina Evans Chapter 16 Charlemae Hill Rollins: Out of One, Many LaVerne Gray Epilogue: Charlemae Rollins at the Willard School, 1955, poem by Jennifer Bartell Boykin Afterword: Black Women—The Resilient Force Uplifting All, by Aisha M. Johnson About the Editor and Contributors Index

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Author Information

Dr. Nicole A. Cooke is the Augusta Baker Endowed Chair and an Associate Professor at the School of Library and Information Science, at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Cooke’s research and teaching interests include human information behavior, fake news consumption and resistance, critical cultural information studies, and diversity and social justice in librarianship. Early, innovative courses created by Dr. Cooke bringing EDISJ issues to the forefront sparked a major shift in curricula across library and information science programs. Dr. Cooke was named a Mover & Shaker by Library Journal in 2007 and is the recipient of numerous honors including the 2016 ALA Equality Award, the 2017 ALA Achievement in Library Diversity Research Award (Office for Diversity and Literacy Outreach Services), the Illinois Library Association’s 2019 Intellectual Freedom Award in recognition of her work in combating online hate and bullying in LIS, and the 2019 Excellence in Teaching Award (Association for Library and Information Science Education). In 2021 she was presented with the Martin Luther King, Jr., Social Justice Award by the University of South Carolina. Dr. Cooke has published widely and is a frequent speaker; her other books include Fake News and Alternative Facts: Information Literacy in a Post-Truth Era and Foundations of Social Justice.

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