First African-American librarian, alumna honored

Tamika Maddox stepped back in amazement as the crowd of about 30 people yelled, ?three ? two… Tamika Maddox stepped back in amazement as the crowd of about 30 people yelled, ?three ? two ? one,? followed by a thunderous round of applause. It was then that a newly dedicated plaque was unveiled last Friday.

The commotion and emotion were for the dedication of a plaque honoring Virginia Proctor Powell Florence, the first African-American woman to receive professional training as a librarian.

?I never thought this day would come to pass,? Maddox said before the unveiling. From 2001 to 2002, she served as the chair for the Minority Concerns Council at the School of Information Sciences.

Florence earned her degree from Pitt?s School of Information Sciences in 1923.

As part of an assignment to create an annotated bibliography, Maddox found an article about Florence?s experience as a librarian. According to the article, Florence did not even know she was the first African-American woman to have obtained a degree in librarianship.

Friday?s occasion was not only a time to recognize diversity within the University, but also a time to reflect on the school?s history of firsts.

According to Ronald Larsen, dean of the School of Information Sciences, Pitt offered the first place for teaching children?s librarianship more than 100 years ago.

Information science student, Rachelle Shells added that, ?Pittsburgh has a lot of firsts, and it feels good to be a part of it.?

Shells went on to mention Tywanna Whorley, a future first from Pitt. She will be the first black person to receive a doctorate in archiving.

Present at the dedication was the author of the article that inspired Maddox to honor Florence at Pitt, Arthur Gunn. Also in attendance was the first black president of the American Library Association, Dr. E.J. Josey.

The honored guest at the dedication, Dr. Carla Hayden, also delivered a speech a few minutes later in the English Room of the Cathedral of Learning. Hayden was the second African-American woman to be president of the American Library Association in the organization?s 127-year history.

After the nostalgic and emotional dedication, the crowd, consisting primarily of SIS students, walked to the Cathedral and sat in a room decorated with coats of arms for English authors such as Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. The quote engraved in the wall was William Shakespeare?s and it read, ?Once you learn to read, you?ll be forever free.?

Framing her speech, ?Equality and Liberty in Libraries,? around the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the historic Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka, Ks., Hayden posed the question: Are citizens able to receive equity in their information seeking, particularly in library settings?

As the director of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, Md., Hayden described her consideration of that question in relation to her position.

?Fifty percent of the state?s people that live in poverty, live in Baltimore city,? Hayden said. ?[There is] a 38 percent illiteracy rate. What is a library when people in the city can?t read??

Hayden went on to say that a library in those conditions has to play a part in bringing information and access to the community. This is what most of the people gathered to hear her speak aspire to do ? provide people with accessible information.

When asked about the relevance that access to information has on an average student Hayden responded that students would realize the importance if they had to prepare for a course or write a paper without information. Going on the Internet or to a library is usually a student?s first step in locating information.

?People who are information specialists prepare and package the information for people to use in every kind of field,? Hayden said. ?We not only have to prepare the information, we have to protect the people?s right to have it.?

She added that if librarians do not continue to fight for people?s right to have access to information, the government will increase its intrusion.

Librarians are currently concerned with people?s right to find information freely without fear of the government watching them, and they are becoming more and more vocal with regard to this concern.

Librarians were the first group to take a stand against the USA PATRIOT Act, arguing that it infringes on citizens? access to information. The librarians? position led to the stereotypes of librarians, a predominantly female occupation, as being ?hysteric for freedom,? she said. It also led the editorial board of Ms. Magazine to nominate Hayden one of its 2003 Women of the Year.

According to Hayden, it was a special honor to speak after the dedication of the plaque to honor Florence.