History of Library Services to African Americans in Florida

During the era when racial segregation was a law of the state, most libraries were off limits to Florida's Black population. This is the story of how and where library access for Black Floridians developed over time.

Library development was slow overall in the South, especially in rural areas. This table demonstrates the percentage of the population without public library service in the Southeast versus the entire United States. The number of people without library service was significantly higher in the Southeast. Although the difference between the Southeast and U.S. did decrease overtime, by 1950 there was still an over 10% difference in the number of people without public library service.

Because library development was slow in the South, service to African Americans was an afterthought. Policies on library service to African Americans were highly regional; it was largely left up to individual cities to decide how to serve their Black residents. Methods of providing library service to African Americans varied widely across the South. Common methods included separate shelves, separate reading rooms, and designated “Negro” library hours.

Over 1,000 letters were sent from the Tampa Public Library to other libraries across Florida. The survey found there were 49 free public libraries in the state & 37 subscription libraries. 41 of 67 counties were without any free library.

The report goes on to discuss the historical and economic background of Florida, including illiteracy rates of blacks and whites. The 1930 Federal census shows there were a little over 1.4 million people living in Florida and of those 82,804 were illiterate. There were around 345,000 negroes above the age of 10 years old living in Florida and little over 65,000 are illiterate, so about 19%. The Negro population was distributed equally between rural and urban districts, but there were almost twice the amount of illiterate individuals in rural areas.

The 1935 survey has a section discussing library service to negroes. The report lists the cities that maintain negro branch libraries. Finally, the report mentions books for colored children. At the time of the report reading material for colored children were being given little to no consideration. Almost no money had been spent for books for colored schools in the last two years. However, a few colored high schools and some elementary schools had small libraries of 100-200 books.

At the end of the report is a strategic plan for library service in Florida. The plan lists immediate objectives and general objectives. The last point of the general objects reads, "This plan to provide equitable library service for white and negro population." So as early as 1935, there was an intention to provide equitable library service to negroes; however, what "equitable" means in application is up for interpretation, and the standards used to measure what would qualify as being equitable are not clear.

In 1947, the Florida Library Association conducted another survey of Florida libraries. The report found that libraries were still underdeveloped in Florida. At 41%, less than half of the state population had access to public library service of some kind. This includes subscription libraries. A majority of the urban population had access to library service. 63% had access.

Like the 1935 survey, the 1947 survey also included a section dedicated to library service to negroes. The report states that library services to negroes in Florida were generally inferior in number and quality. However, the report claims there were places where African Americans actually had better library facilities than their white counterparts. For example, the library at Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach and the library at Florida A. & M. University in Tallahassee were both open to Black residents and had the best library facilities in their respective cities. Despite this, the report emphasizes these are exceptions and generally the negro's library opportunities are almost non-extant.

By 1952 the Florida State Library began releasing annual reports on the status of Florida libraries called the Florida Library Directory and Statistics. All of the data will come from the State Library's reports from now on. The report begins with an overview of library access across the state, and there has been progress since 1947. The 1951-52 statistics show 59% of Florida's population had access to public library service. 80% of the urban population had access, while only 12% of the rural population had library access. 42% of Florida's negro population had library service. However, all of the negroes served were in urban areas.

In the 1951-1952 report, the State Library includes symbols indicating different information about each library in the directory. "N" libraries are independent libraries established specifically for negroes and are not apart of a larger library system. "O" Libraries that claim to be open to both races don't provide us with a lot of information on what methods were used to serve African Americans. Remember, there are a lot of different methods such as separate shelves or designated negro library hours. Negro branches are libraries that are a part of a municipal library system.

This table shows library service to negroes from 1951 to 1963. 1963 was the last year the FLDS reported on negro library access because the Civil Rights Act was passed the following year in 1964. The number of libraries that served negroes fluctuated over time, but not every type of library was reported each year. Libraries open to both races were only listed in 1952 & 1954. This significantly increased the number of libraries reported to serve negroes. By 1955-56 negro only libraries were no longer reported at all. So, this does explain some of the drastic fluctuation; however, there were libraries that did actually change status. For example, In 1953 the Eau Gallie library went from being a women's club library to a city library; it was then no longer listed as being open to both races. That same year a library in Sarasota that was previously open to both races became a negro branch library. There were times when African Americans lost library access or service was relocated somewhere else.

This table is from Mary Anders' 1958 dissertation titled "The Development of Public Library Service in the Southeastern States 1895-1950". Anders compiled a number of sources to create this table. It shows the percentage of Negro population with access to public library service by southeastern state.

In 1926, Florida had the 3rd highest percentage of public libraries with negro access. Although, this percentage increased steadily over time, by 1947 Florida had dropped down to number 6 of 9 southeastern states in regards to negro access. Virgina, Tennessee, and Kentucky always had solid levels, while North Carolina and Georgia had major increases in library access to negroes.

In 1902, Andrew Carnegie offered $50,000 to rebuild a library that previously burned down. The agreement required the city to appropriate at least $5,000 a year to support it. In 1905, The Jacksonville Free Public Library opened with segregated reading rooms. Jacksonville's newspaper, The Metropolis, commended the library for being the first in the state open to both black and white. The library was also the first tax-supported library in Florida.

In 1923, $2,000 of the library’s budget was used to purchase an investment voucher to fund a colored branch. The Library Board formed a Negro Library Committee in March of 1927. The Wilder Park Branch opened on November 14, 1927. There seems to be significant consideration in the maintaining the condition of the branch throughout time. Efforts were made to improve grounds surrounding the branch, such as building a new improved road leading to the building, upgrading heating equipment, and so on.

Jacksonville provided the only example I could find on record with how a library handled integration. But, I think it's a strong example since Jacksonville was the first library in the state and the first to serve African Americans. In January 1956, the Library Board agreed to provide reference service to negroes at the Main Library when requested. A table was set aside and plainly marked “Reserved.” In October 1957, a negro class visited one of the white branches. The Board reconsidered their 1956 decision and decided to develop a formal policy regarding negro use of branches other than the Wilder Park Branch. The policy became the following: “Should any Negro insist upon receiving service after being diplomatically advised against it, the service should not be refused.” “Reference service not available at the Wilder Park Branch should be given to Negroes who might come to the Main Library for such service. From January to September 1958, library staff wrote reports on each incident which were reviewed by the Library Board.

The Tampa Public Library began service in 1917 through the assistance of funds from Andrew Carnegie. Shortly after the library opened, the Board sought advice from the Carnegie Corporation on how to provide library service to negroes. The Corporation recommended the library contact other libraries in southern states.

A small library for Tampa’s Black residents was opened in 1919 at the Harlem Academy. In 1923, the library was relocated to the Urban League. A 1926 Library Journal issue reported the library only hoped to interest children, but a surprising number of previously “apathetic” adults showed enthusiasm for the new library. There were requests for everything from Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” to a book on psychoanalysis for medical practitioners.

In 1921, Captain Charles L. Albertson, a retired Police Inspector from New York, donated his personal library (valued at about $75,000) to the city of Orlando. The Albertson Public Library opened November 8, 1923.

The Booker T. Washington Branch Library opened on June 11, 1924 with a collection of 1500 books. The library was originally open only 3 days a week from 3 p.m. to 8:30 because librarian Eddie T. Jackson was also an elementary school teacher in Winter Park. Jackson sent monthly reports to the main library on the branch’s progress. A report from March 1927 celebrated the growing interest among adults as well as children. Reports show adults were interested in books like What the Negro Thinks, W.E.B. Dubois’ Dark Princess, and Black Majesty: The Life of Christophe King of Haiti.

The Lakeland Public Library opened January 6, 1927. Prior to that, a women's club maintained a library for residents to use.

Lakeland’s first branch library opened at 1040 North Virginia Avenue in 1937. Prior to this, a small library was established in a local math teacher’s classroom. Lakeland’s Black citizens were issued cards through an interlibrary loan system that allowed them to request materials from the main library.

The earliest libraries in Miami were founded by women’s clubs. The Coconut Grove Library opened in 1901 and the Lemon City Library in 1902. The Miami Public Library System was established in 1942 with six white libraries and two colored branches.

The Dorsey Branch was the first city owned building constructed for library purposes. The library was built in 1941 and dedicated to, D.A. Dorsey, a Black philanthropist who donated the land. Prior to the Dorsey Branch, Miami’s Black population was served at the Dunbar Branch located in a building in a local woman’s garden.

Jackson was born in Tampa on March 25, 1902. Jackson’s family moved to Orlando in 1918 when she was sixteen years old. Jackson was the first African American woman to earn a bachelor’s degree in Orlando. She graduated from Morris Brown College in Atlanta in 1924. Jackson later earned a Certificate in Library Science from Atlanta University. In addition to being the first librarian at the Booker T. Washington Branch Library, she was also a teacher in Winter Park. Eddie Jackson passed away on October 26, 1979. Among her possessions, a note was found which read: “My Life – What beautiful surroundings were chosen for me to enjoy, while on earth … I’ve done my work – I’ve sung my song, may I rest in peace.”

Eddie T. Jackson's monthly reports on the Booker T. Washing Branch really convey her passion for her work, as well as her experience as a Black woman in the library system. At times she would use her own money to cover the branch's expenses. Despite the fact it seems she was being underpaid. In 1926, Jackson wrote to the librarian at the main library and expressed she felt her salary should be increased considering the level of her responsibilities. For example, we know the library eventually went from being open 3 days a week to 6 days week. Eddie Jackson asked Olive Brumbaugh to bring the matter up with the Library Board.

Meeting Minutes from July 1933 give us an idea of the salary schedules in the library system. The Library Board was cutting costs to save money and this included reducing everyone's salary and changing the hours the libraries were open. This is a picture of the suggested cuts in the salary schedule. Eddie Thomas had the lowest salary at $40 a month, even less than the janitor who had $75. Eddie's salary was cut $5. The librarian at the main library, Olive Brumbaugh, made $250 a month and her salary was cut $50.

It does appear Eddie T. Jackson and Olive Brumbaugh had a close working relationship. In 1930, Jackson wrote to Brumbaugh requesting a sponsorship to attend a summer certification training for library science at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Jackson expressed herself earnestly writing, "Oh, I am so eager to grasp this opportunity. It is exactly what I have wanted and needed." She goes on to say, "there is no one to help me at all... Miss Brumbaugh do whatever you can for me, please. I shall be so grateful to you." Eddie Jackson did attend the training and received a certificate in library science.

Mrs. Elsie Dunbar began her career as a math teacher at Washington Park High School in Lakeland, Florida. Dunbar was the first person to be awarded a master’s degree from Florida A&M College. Her thesis was titled “The Role of Washington Park HS in a Program for Improving School/Community Relations”. Dunbar later became the school’s principal. Remember, library service to Lakeland’s Black community started in her classroom in 1934. This is the experience Dunbar discusses in her thesis. Dunbar went on to serve as the librarian for the Virginia Avenue Branch Library until her retirement in 1962.

Mrs. Olga Owens Bradham was born in 1910 in Jacksonville, Florida. Owens graduated from Florida A&M College and studied library science at Columbia University in New York City. Owens was the librarian at Wilder Park Branch Library for over 40 years.

Meeting minutes from November 18, 1965 show the Library Board had a personnel issue involving hiring a black librarian. A professional grade librarian examination was given and one of the individuals who passed the exam was an African American woman named Elaine Kitchings. However, at that time there were no librarian positions available at the "Negro" branches, meaning Kitchings might have to work in the Main Library. There was quite a fuss about this and members of the Library Board even went to the City Council and City Commissioner over this issue. It was decided to move the Black librarian, Mrs. Chandler, who was already working at Myrtle Avenue Branch to the Main Library. The Meeting Minutes describe Mrs. Chandler as being neatly dressed and would be a fit for the Main Library. The Board writes, "It would be better to start with someone like this rather than take on an outsider"

According to an advertisement in The Miami Times, the Florida State Library Association was organized in Spring of 1949. The Association appeared on the Florida Library Directory and Statistics until 1956.

Albertson Public Library. (2023, June 21). Orlando Memory. https://orlandomemory.info/places/albertson-public-library/

Anders, M. E. (1958). The Development of Public Library Service to the Southeastern States, 1895-1950 [PhD Dissertation].

Battles, D. M. (2009). The history of public library access for African Americans in the South: Or, Leaving Behind the Plow. Scarecrow Press.

Eddie T. Jackson. (2024, February 21). Orlando Memory. https://orlandomemory.info/topics/eddie-t-jackson-painting/

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