Jean Blackwell Hutson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean Blackwell Hutson
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| Born |
Jean Blackwell
September 7, 1914 Summerfield, Florida, United States
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| Died | February 4, 1998 (aged 83) Harlem Hospital, New York
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Barnard College, Columbia University School of Library Science |
| Occupation | Librarian, curator, writer, archivist |
| Spouse(s) | Andy Razaf (1939–1947) John Hutson (1950-1998) |
| Children | Jean Francis (d. 1992) |
| Parent(s) | Paul O. Blackwell (farmer) Sarah Myers Blackwell (elementary schoolteacher) |
Jean Blackwell Hutson was an important American librarian, writer, and educator. She was born on September 7, 1914, and passed away on February 4, 1998. She became the chief of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. This center later named its Research and Reference Division after her.
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Early Life and Learning
Jean Blackwell was born in Summerfield, Florida. She moved to Baltimore, Maryland, with her mother in 1918. She was a very bright student. In 1929, she graduated at the top of her class from Frederick Douglass High School.
Jean first studied at the University of Michigan. She then transferred to Barnard College. There, she earned a degree in English in 1935. After college, she wanted to attend library school. She was not accepted at first. She believed this was because she was African-American. She took legal action and won her case.
She then earned her master's degree in Library Science from Columbia University in 1936. She also received a teaching certificate from Columbia in 1941. Jean Hutson was married twice. She had a daughter named Jean Frances Hutson.
A Career in Libraries
Jean Blackwell Hutson faced challenges because of her race and gender. But she still achieved great things in her career. From 1936 to 1984, she worked at many branches of the New York Public Library. For a short time, she was also a school librarian in Baltimore.
Her most famous job was as the curator and chief of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. She helped create the Schomburg Dictionary Catalog. Under her leadership, the center's collection grew. It became a major resource for learning about Black history and culture.
Growing the Schomburg Center
In the 1940s, Hutson started the Schomburg Corporation. This group worked to get money for the research center. Hutson was key in getting grants from states, the government, and other groups. These funds helped protect the collection and build a new facility.
The Schomburg Center became well-known during the Civil Rights and Black Panther movements. In 1980, a new building for the center opened. It was designed by Max Bond.
Teaching and Travel
While working at the Schomburg Center, Hutson also taught at the City College of New York. She taught courses in Black Studies from 1962 to 1971. She stopped teaching there when some people wanted a more radical approach to Black studies.
Later, Kwame Nkrumah, the President of Ghana, invited Hutson to help. He wanted her to develop the African Collection at the University of Ghana. She moved to Ghana from 1964 to 1965. There, she was an Assistant Librarian. She enjoyed living in a place where she did not face discrimination. She also made the Africana collection include Africans in Africa and those living outside of Africa.
Hutson retired in 1980 but stayed active. She was involved in groups like Information Science. She also wrote a chapter about the Schomburg Center in a book.
Awards and Involvement
Jean Blackwell Hutson was part of many community and professional groups. She was a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority and the NAACP. She also joined the American Library Association and the Urban League.
She received many awards throughout her life:
- In 1966, she received the Annual Heritage Award.
- In 1974, she received the Black Heroes Memorial Award.
- She received an Honorary Doctorate from King Memorial College.
- In 1980, she got the Professional Service Award from the Black Librarians Caucus.
- In 1989, she was part of the "I Dream A World Exhibit."
- She was honored by Barnard College in 1990.
- In 1992, she was honored by Columbia University.
- From 1992 to 2007, a residency program was named after her at SUNY Buffalo.
- In 1994, the Jean Hutson General Research and Reference Division was named in her honor at the Schomburg Center.
- In 1996, she received the Annual Heritage Award again.
Later Years
Jean Blackwell Hutson passed away on February 4, 1998. She was 83 years old. She died at Harlem Hospital in New York City.
