@article{201586,
  keywords = {African American history; public libraries; library history; oral history},
  author = {Steven Knowlton},
  title = {Memories of Public Libraries in Oral Histories of Accomplished Black Professionals},
  abstract = {<p>I mined 503 oral histories of prominent Black Americans for their memories of public libraries in the twentieth-century United States. I then analyzed testimonies to produce a {\textquotedblleft}prosopography of sentiment{\textquotedblright}: aggregated \&nbsp;data demonstrating how members of this demographic group in general felt about libraries. The most common themes were {\textquotedblleft}reading as a pleasurable activity,{\textquotedblright} {\textquotedblleft}library as a source to explore Black culture or develop Black pride,{\textquotedblright} and {\textquotedblleft}library as a site for personal growth or maturation.{\textquotedblright} The most common theme with unpleasant emotional valence was {\textquotedblleft}stories related to segregation or discrimination.{\textquotedblright} Most memories occurred during reporters{\textquoteright} childhoods or adolescences. The percentage of stories with unpleasant emotional valence declines significantly from the 1920s to the 1970s and as the population of the city increases. Within this demographic \&nbsp;group, memories of the library often confirm the stereotypes that library advocates tend to promote.</p>},
  year = {2025},
  journal = {Information and Culture},
  volume = {60},
  chapter = {109},
  month = {08/2025},
}