Catherine Allen Latimer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Catherine Allen Latimer
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Latimer in 1938
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| Born |
Catherine Bosley Allen
1896 |
| Died | 1948 |
| Alma mater | Howard University |
| Occupation | Librarian |
| Known for | First African-American Librarian at the New York Public Library |
Catherine Allen Latimer (1896 – 1948) was a very important librarian. She was the first African-American librarian at the New York Public Library (NYPL). She helped create and grow a special collection about African-American history and culture.
Contents
Her Early Life
Catherine Bosley Allen was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1896. Her parents were Minta Bosley and H. W. Allen. She spent her early years living in France and Germany. Later, her family moved to Brooklyn, New York. She lived in New York for most of her life.
Catherine finished Girls High School in Brooklyn in 1916. She then studied to become a librarian. She went to Howard University and Columbia University's library school. Catherine was very good at languages. She spoke French fluently and could read German.
In 1921, she married Benton R. Latimer. He worked as an accountant for the United States Post Office.
Her Work as a Librarian
Catherine Latimer worked as a library assistant for one year. This was from 1919 to 1920 at Tuskegee Institute. After that, she returned to Brooklyn.
In 1920, the New York Public Library hired her. She became their first African-American librarian. She started as a substitute librarian. By the end of 1920, she was a full-time librarian. She worked at the 135th Street branch in Harlem. This branch was known as "Harlem's cultural center." She stayed there for her entire career.
Building a Special Collection
Latimer was known for creating a special "clippings file." This file helped document black history. In 1924, Latimer and Ernestine Rose started collecting books. Rose was the head librarian at the branch. They wanted to build a collection of reference books about black history.
The books were used so much they started to get damaged. So, Latimer and Rose moved the collection. They moved it to the library's fourth floor. A year later, this growing collection became very important. Community leaders helped support it. These leaders included historian Arturo Alfonso Schomburg and activists James Weldon Johnson and Hubert Harrison.
The collection became the Division of Negro History, Literature and Prints. Its goal was to "preserve the historical records of the race." It also aimed "to give information to everyone about the Negro." Catherine Latimer was chosen to lead this new division.
Helping Library Visitors
Latimer worked closely with Arturo Schomburg. They helped people use the library. She wanted visitors to learn how to use the card catalog. She also taught them how to fill out library request slips themselves.
Many famous artists, thinkers, and writers visited the library. This was during the Harlem Renaissance. Latimer often helped them with their research. The famous writer Langston Hughes remembered Latimer. He called her "luscious cafe-au-lait." Latimer also wrote often to W. E. B. Du Bois. Du Bois was a very important civil rights leader. He asked the New York Public Library to treat Black librarians fairly. He wanted them to stop unfair hiring and promotion practices.
Latimer also worked with Dorothy Porter. They created new ways to describe their collections. The usual library terms often didn't fit. They also reorganized books on the shelves. The Dewey Decimal System made it hard to find books about Black culture. For example, she moved books about Africa. They had been in the travel section. She moved them to ethnology and history sections. She also gave new numbers to books about slavery. She moved them to sections about race relations and economic history.
Expanding the Collection
In 1926, the NYPL bought Arturo Alfonso Schomburg's own collection. This was a huge collection of printed materials. Latimer worked to add it to the division. She wasn't an expert in rare books. So, a few years later, NYPL hired Schomburg himself. He became the curator of the Schomburg Collection. Latimer then became his assistant.
Many authors have thanked Latimer and Rose. They credit them for creating and keeping this important division. Latimer worked at the 135th Street library for 26 years. She worked hard to promote the collection. She gave lectures to students from many colleges. She also organized public programs and exhibits. These events helped connect people to the topics in the collection. In 1934, she wrote an article called "Where Can I Get Material on the Negro." It was published in The Crisis magazine.
After Arturo Schomburg passed away, Latimer again oversaw the collection. This was until Dr. Lawrence D. Reddick became curator in 1939.
Retirement and Passing
Catherine Latimer retired in 1946. She had poor health and bad eyesight. She passed away in 1948 at Kings County Hospital. She had been ill for eight months. She left behind her husband, her son Bosley, her mother, and her brother Henry B. Allen. Hundreds of people attended her funeral in Brooklyn.
