Joseph Henry Reason facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph Henry Reason
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| Born | March 23, 1905 |
| Died | July 26, 1997 (aged 92) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Librarian, professor |
| Known for | Director of the Howard University library system |
| Board member of | First African-American to serve as president of the Association of College and Research Libraries |
| Children | J. Paul Reason |
Joseph Henry Reason (born March 23, 1905 – died July 26, 1997) was an important American librarian. He led the library system at Howard University for 25 years. He was the first African-American to be president of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). He was also the first African-American to be nominated for president of the American Library Association (ALA). In 1999, a magazine called American Libraries named him one of the "100 Most Important Leaders We Had in the 20th Century." His son, J. Paul Reason, became the first African-American four-star Admiral in the United States Navy.
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Early Life and School
Reason was born in Franklin, Louisiana. He was the oldest child of Joseph and Bertha Peoples Reason. In 1928, he graduated with very high honors from New Orleans University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in history.
For one school year (1928–1929), he taught languages at the Gilbert Academy. This was a private school for African-Americans in New Orleans. In 1931, he married Bernice Chism. They had two children, Barbara and Joseph Paul.
In 1932, he earned another BA degree in French from Howard University. Later, in 1936, he earned a Master of Arts (MA) degree in French from the University of Pennsylvania.
His Career in Libraries
Joseph Reason started working in libraries with help from John Robert Edward Lee Sr.. Lee was the President of Florida A&M University. This is a historically black university in Tallahassee.
Lee helped Reason get a special scholarship. This scholarship allowed Reason to earn a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in library science from Columbia University in 1936. After some changes at FAMU, Lee made Reason the first director of the FAMU library.
Building a Special Collection
Under Reason's leadership, the FAMU library started a "Negro Collection." This collection helped save and protect important cultural materials from African-Americans. This special collection later grew into the Southeastern Regional Black Archives Research Center and Museum in 1977.
Leading Howard University Library
In 1938, Reason began working at Howard University as a reference librarian. A reference librarian helps people find information and resources in the library. In 1946, he became the director of the Howard University library system. He held this important job until he retired in 1971.
During his many years at Howard, Reason made the library much better. He helped increase its budget, its collection of books and materials, and its overall reputation. The library also joined important programs and groups, like the Federal Depository Library Program in 1963.
Further Studies and Leadership
While at Howard, he also helped edit a magazine called The Negro College Quarterly from 1941 to 1947. Reason continued his own education. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in romance languages from the Catholic University of America in 1956.
In 1961, he took a break from Howard to help with a project. He advised the ALA's Social Science Library Project. This project helped create a social science library at the University of Rangoon in Burma.
Reason was very active in groups for librarians. He was the first African-American to be nominated as president of the ALA in 1965. He was also the first African-American to serve as president of the ACRL in 1971.
Retirement Years
After he retired, he taught library science as a visiting professor at Florida State University in Tallahassee. He also served as a trustee for Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. Joseph Henry Reason passed away in Tallahassee in 1997.
