The Weight of Being the First
When it comes to the history of Black Americans, there is ‘the first’ for every type of work in nearly every industry. Some of those ‘firsts’ are well-known, like Sarah Breedlove, aka Madame C.J. Walker, the first millionaire businesswoman in the United States.; Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play MLB in the 20th century and Barack Obama, the first Black President of the United States. It isn’t easy being the first – the first one to do that job, the first to be hired by that company, the first to graduate with that degree. Being the one who paves the way for all the others who follow takes courage, hard work, determination, and complete confidence in one’s chosen path.
In 2016, Dr. Carla Hayden was appointed the 14th Librarian of Congress and became both the first woman and the first African American to hold the job. She’s also the first actual librarian (MA & PhD from University of Chicago Library Graduate School) to hold the position – previous Librarians of Congress, white men all, have been authors or historians. Dr. Hayden has led unparalleled efforts in modernizing the Library of Congress and bringing its unique collections to the attention of the broader public. Thanks to her championing of digitization and technology infrastructure improvements, Americans can browse the LoC’s digital collections on any device with an internet. Her social media presence , support of the Library of Congress Blogs, and institution’s YouTube channel have made the Library of Congress accessible to the public like never before.
Leading Through Crisis
Access to library services is a high priority for Dr. Hayden. In late spring of 2015, the death of Freddie Gray while in the custody of police led to widespread protests in Baltimore, some of them ending up with looting, arson, and violence. Gray had been arrested at the intersection fronting a CVS drugstore and the Pennsylvania Avenue branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library. The library manager, Melanie Townsend Diggs, locked the library doors and got patrons and staff out safely while a crowd outside set fire to parked cars, looted then burned the CVS. That evening, Townsend Diggs got on a conference call with her library director to determine if the library would open the next day. The director of the Enoch Pratt Free Library was Dr. Hayden, who asked what her manager wanted to do. Townsend Diggs saw the community’s need for the library during this troubled time. She told her director she wanted to open.
“Okay,” Dr. Hayden said. “We’ll be there for you. We’ll back you.” When later asked by a writer for American Libraries why she made that decision, Dr. Hayden said, “In a lot of communities in Baltimore, especially challenged ones, we are the only resource. If we close, we’re sending a signal that we’re afraid, or that we aren’t going to be available when times are tough. We should be open especially when times are tough.”
Innovations and Community Outreach
Dr. Carla Hayden’s 23 years at the Pratt library were filled with examples of her dedication to the community. As part of outreach services, she started an after-school program for Baltimore teens that provided homework help & career counseling. The Pratt was the first library in Maryland to offer free Internet access to the public. Other innovations of hers included inviting lawyers to visit neighborhood branches to advise patrons struggling with civic legal issues or wanting information on how to get a record expunged. She partnered with a grocery store in setting up free grocery delivery for patrons at the Pennsylvania Ave branch, which was in a food desert. She was working on getting social workers from the University of Maryland into the Pratt libraries when she became Librarian of Congress – the program launched the very next year.
Dr. Hayden also generously gave her time to the American Library Association. Inspired by Black library leaders like Clara Stanton Jones and E.J. Josey, she became the fourth Black president of ALA in 2003 and was immediately at the forefront of ALA’s push to restrict the Patriot Act from unwarranted access to patron’s library records. She also heavily influenced the development of the Spectrum Scholarship program, which recruits and provides scholarships to BIPOC students so they can obtain their graduate degree and obtain leadership positions within the library profession, which is still underrepresented in BIPOC staff when compared to the communities they serve.
A Career Shaped by a Chance Encounter
All of Dr. Hayden’s accomplishments are all the more impressive because Carla Hayden never intended to become a librarian at all. She graduated from Roosevelt University in Chicago in Political Science, and was trying to decide if she wanted to pursue her Master’s in law or in social work, her mother’s profession. She spent time in the Chicago Public library while applying for jobs, and a college friend, upon seeing her there, asked if she was applying for one of the open library jobs. She decided it was worth a shot, and something to occupy her during her graduate work. In 1973, she started as a library associate in a small storefront branch and on her first day saw her coworker sitting on the floor in jeans, reading stories to a group of autistic Black children. In that moment, Dr. Hayden recalled, she saw the potential each library holds. That here was a place where she could serve her community, open doors for folks in need, and, as an avid reader from a young age, be surrounded by books.
So began the career of the 14th Librarian of Congress, who after finishing her education, a stint in museums, and teaching library science at the University of Pittsburgh, achieved her first leadership role as the deputy commissioner and chief librarian back at the Chicago Public Library where she had first discovered her love of reading. Just two short years later Enoch Pratt Free Library came calling and Dr. Carla Hayden, the institution’s second Black Director, got to work. In 1995 she was named Library Journal’s Librarian of the Year for her work in outreach at the Pratt. In a bit of preparation for her future success, the award was notable – she was the first African American to receive it.
Celebrate Black History Month with this compelling book list for adults! These thought-provoking titles explore the triumphs, struggles, and contributions of Black individuals throughout history and today. From powerful memoirs and insightful nonfiction to rich historical fiction and groundbreaking works by Black authors, this collection highlights themes of resilience, identity, activism, and social justice.
Celebrate Black History Month with this powerful book list for teens! These stories shine a light on the achievements, struggles, and culture of Black individuals throughout history and today. From gripping historical fiction and eye-opening nonfiction to empowering biographies of leaders like Malcolm X and Maya Angelou, these books inspire and educate.
Celebrate Black History Month with this curated book list for children! These stories highlight the achievements, resilience, and culture of Black individuals throughout history and today. From inspiring biographies of trailblazers like Martin Luther King Jr. and Mae Jemison to vibrant picture books showcasing African American traditions, these selections are perfect for readers of all ages.
