Digital reproduction of a series of letters between Jane Maud Campbell, librarian of Jones Memorial Library in Lynchburg, and George T. Settle and Rachel Davis Harris of the Louisville Free Public Library. The letters are written in 1923 and 1924.
In the letters, Campbell requests assistance of a librarian from Louisville to travel to Lynchburg to set up the new Dunbar Branch at Dunbar High School. The Dunbar Branch was the first public library branch in Lynchburg to offer services to black residents.
In the responses, Settle agrees to send Rachel Davis Harris. Harris then writes of her travel arrangements. Campbell advises Harris on accomodation in Lynchburg and notes that Anne Spencer is a candidate for the position of Dunbar Branch librarian. In February 1924, Campbell seeks to extend Harris' stay in Lynchburg, Settle agrees to an extension. Campbell then thanks Settle for Harris' work in Lynchburg.
Digital reproduction of letters from Jane Maud Campbell, Head Librarian of Jones Memorial Library, to book publishers. Campbell wrote in 1921 to McDevitt-Wilson's and Valiant publishing companies to request pricing on specific titles for use at the library's Dunbar Branch.
Digital reproduction of a letter from Lyle Stuart to Jones Memorial Library trustees dated 10 October 1947. In the letter, Stuart advocates for integration of the library's services and facilities.
Digital reproduction of correspondence between the City of Lynchburg, Virginia and Lucille Dickerson for the period 25 March 1947 to 28 September 1948.
In the correspondence, Dickerson notes that Jones Memorial Library is donating books to the Dunbar High School Library. At the time, Dunbar High School Library provided services to "colored" residents of the city. In the series of exchanges, city officials seek information about library services for "the use of the colored people in the City of Lynchburg."
Included with the correspondence is a list of libraries in the city and which racial populations they serve and a letter from the Lynchburg City Manager to the League of Virginia Municipalities, requesting information about library statistics in the state.
Digital image of a postcard and envelope sent to Jones memorial Library from the Lynchburg Improvement Association dated 15 February 1961. The postcard includes the message "Dear Citizen: How Long Will You Allow Your Tax Dollars to Support Patterson's Private Prejudices." The postcard is alluding to the segregated services of Patterson Drug Store in Lynchburg, Virginia. The store had been the site of a December 1960 sit-in by students at Randolph College, protesting the racial segregation of the drugstore's restaurant services.
Images of Manuscript 1334, a copy of the Lynchburg Public Library charter from 1897. The original document is filed with the Lynchburg Circuit Court; Manuscript 1334 is available at Jones Memorial Library in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Scanned image of pamphlet entitled Negro Progress in Print: A Special List of Good Books on the Shelves of the Paul Laurence Dunbar Branch Indianapolis Public Library.
The physical pamphlet is held at Jones Memorial Library in Manuscript Collection 1396, Folder 6. The undated pamphlet is printed double-sided, and folded.
Some handwritten marks and notes suggest that Jones Memorial Library staff reviewed the list of books for acquisition.
Digital reproduction of a letter from Rachel Davis Harris of Western Colored Branch, Louisville Free Public Library, to Jane Maud Campbell at Jones Memorial Library in Lynchburg. The 1924 letter shares that Harris has returned to Louisville after working to establish the Dunbar Branch in Lynchburg.
Scanned image of the Jones Memorial Library's Report of Dunbar Branch for January 1924 submitted by Anne Spencer and R.D. Harris.
The Dunbar Branch was opened in 1924 in the Dunbar High School in Lynchburg and was the first branch of the Jones Memorial Library. The branch provided service to "colored" residents of the city during a time when library services were racially segregated.
This report records the circulation of library books and materials at the branch during its first month of operation. The report was submitted by Anne Spencer, who was appointed as the branch's permanent librarian, and Rachel Davis Harris, who had traveled to Lynchburg from the Louisville Free Public Library's Western Colored Division in 1923-1924 to advise and assist with establishment of the Dunbar Branch. The report appears to have been entered by hand by Anne Spencer.
Digitized copy of a pamphlet published in 1921 entitled "Some Books and Pamphlets, Music, Magazines and Newspapers by Negro Writers, Composers and Editors in the Colored Department of the Louisville Free Public Library".
This document is part of Jones Memorial Library Manuscript Collection 1396, the Dunbar High School Library Papers. The item is held in printed format at Jones Memorial Library.
Digital reproduction of a typed manuscript entitled "The Dunbar high School Story!!" by Chauncey E. Spencer. The original manuscript is held at Jones Memorial Library in Lynchburg, Virginia as PAM1206.
In the manuscript, the author provides clarifications about the history of Dunbar High School and the Dunbar Branch library that operated at the high school in the 1900s.
Scanned reproduction of an undated typewritten manuscript entitled "The Dunbar Story: An Examination of the School's Search for Excellence in a Segregated Society." A print version of the manuscript is held in the pamphlet files of Jones Memorial Library in Lynchburg, Virginia.
The manuscript does not include information about the author. No source is attributed.
The manuscript is marked and underlined in various places.
A paragraph on page five includes information about the Dunbar Branch of the Jones Memorial Library. The information is not attributed, cited, or verified.
Scanned image of a postcard sent to Jones Memorial Library regarding racial segregation of library facilities. The card was sent from Connecticut and the text read "We have heard on radio over & over again that students of Colored Theological Seminary of Lynchburg are not allowed to use facilities of public library. It is hard to believe that such a condition can exist in the U.S.A."
This item is part of Jones Memorial Library Manuscript Collection 1396, the Dunbar High School Library Papers.
Digital reproduction of a handwritten letter from the Woman's Community Club of Lynchburg to Jane Maud Campbell, Head Librarian of Jones Memorial Library.
The letter was written in April 1946 seeking relocation of the Dunbar Branch library operations to the Woman's Club in lieu of transfer of the branch to the Lynchburg City Schools.
