![]() ![]() Hopefully, learning more about these library pioneers will inspire further exploration of other trailblazing Black American librarians. However, this is not an exhaustive list and represents only a fraction of the black librarians who have made significant contributions to librarianship. ![]() Here are 13 pioneering Black American librarians you’ve probably never heard of, but should definitely know. ![]() At these universities, the majority of black librarians were trained, made significant contributions to library science, and left a legacy for future librarians of all races. Many of the libraries Carnegie built were academic libraries at Historically Black Colleges and Universities like Tuskegee Institute, Atlanta University, Fisk University, and Howard University. ![]() Concurrently, there was an increase of libraries being built across the United States partly due to the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie. Professional librarianship began in 1876 with the formation of the American Library Association, the founding of American Library Journal, and the publication of Melvil Dewey’s decimal-based system of classification. For obvious reasons (*cough* slavery *cough*), it is probably safe to assume most of those individuals were white (and male). Training was completed through apprenticeship where individuals learned under the guidance of an experienced mentor or through trial and error. In the United States, there was no formal training for individuals working in libraries prior to 1850. ![]()
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