Freedom libraries facts for kids
Freedom libraries were community libraries set up by activist organizations and private individuals to serve African Americans during the civil rights movement.
Contents
Background
During the first half of the twentieth century, most African Americans living in the Southern United States lacked access to tax-supported public libraries. Due to their support of racial segregation, White Southerners severely restricted or completely blocked African Americans’ use of existing public libraries.
Establishment
As part of the civil rights movement, African American activists and their allies challenged many types of racial discrimination, including in public libraries. In the 1960s, supportive organizations and individuals started creating freedom libraries to assist activists with their work and provide local African Americans with the library service previously denied to them by White leaders.
The first freedom libraries were created by the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO). Freedom libraries were often located in Freedom Schools or Community Centers. During the summer of 1964, in Mississippi, around 50 freedom libraries were created, though there were libraries all around the country. Freedom Libraries have been documented in Alabama, Arkansas, and Pennsylvania.
Freedom libraries carried books "typical" of other American libraries, but also paid special attention to books about African American people or written by Black authors. Freedom libraries were as large as 20,000 books, or small mobile libraries and many were created entirely with donated books. These donations were often provided by volunteers from northeastern states.
Challenges
Freedom libraries faced numerous challenges, including vandalism, fire-bombing, and other acts of terrorism. One bombing took place in October of 1964 in Vicksburg, destroying over 9,000 books.
Impact
Civil Rights activist Richard James said that it was important for Black people to know about their own history. For many African Americans, these libraries were the first time they had access to this information.
