Alexandria Library sit-in facts for kids

The Alexandria Library sit-in was an important event in the fight for equal rights in the United States. It happened on August 21, 1939, at the Alexandria Public Library in Virginia. Five young Black men went into the library and quietly read books. This was a brave act because the library had a "whites only" rule.

Their actions were planned by a lawyer named Samuel Wilbert Tucker. He wanted to challenge the unfair rule that kept Black people from using the library. The men were asked to leave by the police and faced charges. Years later, in 2019, all charges against them were dropped. This sit-in was one of the very first times people used peaceful protest, called nonviolent direct action, to fight for civil rights in America. It helped show the way for the larger Civil Rights Movement.

Why the Sit-in Happened

The Alexandria Library was built in 1937. Money for the library came from donations and taxes paid by everyone in the community. However, Black people were not allowed to use the library at all. This was part of a system called racial segregation, which unfairly separated people based on their race.

Samuel Tucker's Plan

Samuel Wilbert Tucker grew up very close to the library. He became a lawyer at a young age. For several years, he tried to get the library to allow Black people to use it, but nothing changed.

So, Tucker came up with a smart plan. He decided to use the courts to force the city to allow equal access. His plan had two main steps:

• First, someone would ask for a library card.
• Second, if they were refused, a peaceful sit-in would happen.

On March 17, 1939, Tucker and his friend, George Wilson, went to the library. Wilson asked for a library card, but the librarian said no. Tucker then sued the library for Wilson. He argued that Wilson's rights were being violated. Even though a law from 1926 said Black and white people should be separate, it didn't say Black people could be completely kept out.

Tucker then trained eight young African American men, aged 18 to 22. He taught them how to protest peacefully, without violence. Five of these young men would take part in the sit-in.

The Sit-in Day

On August 21, 1939, the five young men entered the Alexandria Library. Their names were William Evans, Edward Gaddis, Morris Murray, Clarence Strange, and Otto L. Tucker (Samuel's brother). They were all dressed nicely.

Each man politely asked for a library card. When the librarian refused, each one went to a shelf, picked out a book, and sat down at a separate table to read quietly. They did not talk to each other. This was important because Samuel Tucker wanted to make sure they did nothing wrong that could lead to a charge of disorderly conduct.

The librarian, Katherine A. Scoggins, quickly went to city hall to tell the city manager what was happening. The city manager then called the police. Meanwhile, Samuel Tucker called the news media. Soon, over 300 people gathered outside to watch as police escorted the five men out of the building. Photographers from both white and Black newspapers were there to capture the moment.

After the Sit-in

The five young men were charged with disorderly conduct. However, everyone who saw what happened agreed that the men were very well-behaved. Samuel Tucker defended them in court. The judge did not make a final decision in their case.

In the separate case for George Wilson, the judge ruled that Wilson had not fully proven he lived in Alexandria. But the judge also said that Wilson should apply again, and the library would have to give him a library card.

The white Alexandria Library board still did not want to allow Black people into the main library. Instead, they quickly approved building a "separate but equal" library for African Americans. This new library, called the Robert H. Robinson Library, opened in April 1940. Most of its books were old or used books donated from the main Alexandria library. Samuel Tucker refused to apply for a card at this new, segregated library. He believed he should have equal access to the main library.

Later Changes

Samuel Tucker continued his important work as a lawyer for the NAACP. He argued many important civil rights cases in Virginia and even before the highest court in the country, the U.S. Supreme Court.

Virginia tried hard to keep segregation in place. But eventually, the Alexandria Library was finally integrated for adults in 1959. This meant Black adults could use the main library. The Robinson library continued to serve Black children until 1962, when they were also allowed to use the main library.

In 2019, library staff found out that the judge had never officially closed the charges against the five men from the sit-in. So, in October 2019, the Alexandria Circuit Court officially dropped all charges. The court said the men were "lawfully exercising their constitutional rights" to free assembly, speech, and to ask the government to change unfair policies. They ruled that no charges should have been filed against them.

Lasting Impact

The Alexandria Library sit-in was a very important event. Audrey Davis, who directs the Alexandria Black History Museum, called it "an early crack in the wall of segregation." This means it was one of the first steps that helped break down unfair racial separation.

Choosing a library for the protest was also very meaningful. Libraries are places for learning and sharing ideas. By protesting there, Samuel Tucker showed how important libraries are for everyone to be involved in their community and to gain knowledge. The sit-in also proved that peaceful protest could be a powerful way to fight for equal rights.

A documentary film called Out of Obscurity: The Story of the 1939 Alexandria Library Sit-In was made in 1999. It includes interviews with people who were part of the protest and shows a reenactment of the sit-in.

See also

• Sit-in movement - list of sit-ins