Miriam Matthews facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Miriam Matthews
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Miriam Matthews in 1982, photographed by Judith Sedwick
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| Born | August 6, 1905 |
| Died | June 23, 2003 (aged 97) |
| Occupation | Librarian |
Miriam Matthews (born August 6, 1905 – died June 23, 2003) was an American librarian. She was also a strong supporter of intellectual freedom, a historian, and an art collector. In 1927, Matthews became the first African American librarian with a special certificate to work at the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL).
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Early Life and Education
Miriam Matthews was born in Pensacola, Florida in 1905. She was the second of three children. When she was two years old, her family moved to Los Angeles. Her father had studied at Tuskegee University. He started a painting business with her mother.
Matthews finished high school in 1922. She then studied for two years at the University of California, Southern Branch (Los Angeles). Later, she moved to Berkeley. There, she earned her bachelor's degree in 1926. She also received a certificate in librarianship in 1927.
Her Career as a Librarian
After college, Matthews returned to Los Angeles. She wanted to work as a librarian at the Los Angeles Public Library. She passed a special test called a Civil Service examination. Soon after, she was hired as a substitute librarian. Three months later, she became a full-time librarian. She worked at the Robert Louis Stevenson Branch Library.
Later, at the Helen Hunt Jackson branch, Matthews found a small group of books about African Americans. She started to collect more books. She built a large collection about the history and culture of African Americans in California. Within 10 years, Matthews became a branch librarian. But she felt her career was not moving forward. So, she took time off to get a master's degree. She studied library science at the University of Chicago Graduate Library School in 1945.
When she came back to Los Angeles, she was promoted. She became a regional librarian. This meant she was in charge of about 12 branch libraries. After working for over 30 years, she retired from LAPL in 1960.
Fighting for Freedom of Ideas
In the 1940s, people worried about books and ideas being controlled. John D. Henderson, who led the California Library Association (CLA), said there would be a "war on books and ideas." Because of this, the CLA created a special group. It was called the "Committee on Intellectual Freedom." Its job was to protect people's right to find information in libraries.
At the same time, a politician named Jack Tenney led a committee. This committee looked into "un-American activities" in California. They investigated textbooks that were linked to people they suspected. Books like the Building America Series were examined. A committee member said these books focused too much on "slums, discrimination, [and] unfair labor practices."
Miriam Matthews wrote an article about the CLA's fight against censorship. She explained that if Tenney's efforts succeeded, it would stop schools from teaching about important, sometimes difficult, topics. Matthews also helped stop a plan to create a board of censors. This board would have controlled what books were allowed in the Los Angeles County Public Library. Thanks to the Committee and other library groups, this plan was stopped.
A Historian and Preserver of History
Miriam Matthews was dedicated to honoring African American contributions. In 1929, she helped start "Negro History Week" in Los Angeles. This event is now known as Black History Month. She stayed involved in the yearly celebration.
She also wrote an essay for the California African American Museum. This essay helped efforts to rename a beach area "Bruce's Beach." This was to honor an African American family. They had started a resort there in 1912. But in the 1920s, city officials took their land.
In 1944, Matthews published a paper called "The Negro in California: An Annotated Bibliography." When Los Angeles celebrated its 200th birthday in 1981, she joined the city's History Team. She helped show that the city had many different kinds of people from the start. This led to a monument at El Pueblo de Los Angeles State Historic Park. It lists the names of the city's founders, called los pobladores. It shows their race, sex, and age. There were 26 black people, 16 Native Americans, and two white people.
Matthews also collected about 4,600 black-and-white photos. These photos showed the African American experience in Los Angeles and California. The collection included pictures of the city's founding. It also had photos of African American stagecoach drivers and guides. There were pictures of the mixed-race californio family of Pio Pico. The collection also showed middle-class African Americans arriving in Los Angeles between 1890 and 1915. It included photos of the churches and groups they formed. Many photos were taken by Harry H. Adams. He was a black photographer who recorded life, politics, and the civil rights movement in Los Angeles in the 1960s.
Collecting Art
After she retired from the library, Matthews became known for her art collection. She collected works by black artists. These included I've Known Rivers by Charles White and Glory, a bronze sculpture by Elizabeth Catlett. She lent her art to museums. These included the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. She was also an active member of the Los Angeles Negro Art Association.
Later Life and Achievements
Miriam Matthews was active in many groups. These groups promoted libraries and black history. In 1979, she helped create an archive program for the city of Los Angeles. This program helps keep important city records safe.
In 1996, Matthews moved to Mercer Island, Washington. She wanted to be closer to her nephew. She passed away in 2003.
Honors and Recognition
In 1982, Matthews received the first Titus Alexander Award. This award recognized her work in documenting the history of African Americans in California. Later that year, she received an Award of Merit from the California Historical Society. She was the only person from southern California to get this award.
The award recognized her great career at the Los Angeles Public Library. It also honored her role in setting up the Los Angeles city archives. Her help with the city's 200th birthday celebration was also noted. And her long service in groups like the California Heritage Preservation Commission was praised.
In 2004, the Hyde Park Branch Library of LAPL was rebuilt. It was renamed after Miriam Matthews. In 2012, she was one of the first ten people to be added to the California Library Hall of Fame.
