John F. N. Wilkinson facts for kids

John Francis Nicholas Wilkinson (born 1832, died 1912) was a very important librarian at the Library of Congress. He was an African-American man who started in a cleaning job. He then worked his way up to become an assistant law librarian. He worked at the Library of Congress for over 55 years, which is longer than anyone else!

Early Life and Education

John F. N. Wilkinson was born in Washington, D.C., in 1832. His family moved there from Virginia in 1831. They moved because officials forced free Black people out of Virginia after Nat Turner's slave rebellion. John had a mixed background, including Black, White, and Native American heritage.

He only went to school for less than two years, from ages 9 to 11. As a teenager, he worked as a bricklayer. He also worked as a steward on a mail steamboat.

Career at the Library of Congress

John Wilkinson started working at the Library of Congress in 1857. His first job was to clean and dust books. He also helped keep the law library room tidy. Later that year, he became a messenger for Supreme Court Justice Roger B. Taney.

Wilkinson knew a lot about the library's books. This helped him move up quickly in his career. For 15 years, he was the only assistant to Charles Henry Wharton Meehan. Meehan was the first "Custodian of Law." This job is now called the Law Librarian of Congress.

The law library did not have a catalog. So, people doing legal research relied on Wilkinson's amazing memory. He knew where to find all the books. By 1892, the law library had 80,000 books. The Law Librarian, George F. Curtis, asked Congress for money to create a catalog. He said that Wilkinson's "remarkable memory" made up for not having a catalog.

A Brief Break in Service

John Wilkinson's career at the library had only one short break. This happened in 1861 when Abraham Lincoln chose John Gould Stephenson as the fifth Librarian of Congress. Stephenson fired Wilkinson, saying he would "employ no colored help."

However, Wilkinson's knowledge was too important. Chief Justice Taney and Senator Reverdy Johnson stepped in. They helped him get his job back after just two months.

A Remarkable Librarian

In 1885, Wilkinson was featured in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper. The article called him "a remarkable librarian." It said he "carries this whole library in his head." The newspaper noted his "perfect familiarity" with law books and legal cases. It described how he found books with "the precision of a Swiss bell-ringer."

Wilkinson worked at the Library of Congress until the day he died. This was on October 5, 1912. Herbert Putnam, who was the Librarian of Congress, spoke at his funeral. Putnam praised Wilkinson's "exact memory" for books and people. He also admired his "prompt, simple, and respectful service." Putnam said that Wilkinson made such a good impression on members of Congress and judges that he was even considered for the top Law Librarianship job.

As of 2016, John Wilkinson's more than 55 years of service is still the longest time anyone has worked at the Library of Congress.

Community Involvement

Wilkinson was very active in the African American community in Washington, D.C. He joined several groups, like the Colored Masonic Lodge. He also attended the Israel Colored Methodist Episcopal Church.

He was one of the few African American members on the District of Columbia School Board of Trustees. After he passed away, his obituary in the Washington Bee newspaper said he was one of the "rare set of colored leaders" who did great things without seeking attention. These things helped with education and civil rights for his community.

John Wilkinson was survived by his wife, Jemima, and their four children.