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1944 Funds Raised for Portsmouth Colored Library Building
Text: Portsmouth African American citizens meet at the home of Mrs. Cornelia Reid and elect officers to head the Portsmouth Library Association. They decide to raise funds to purchase two lots within the city of Portsmouth at South and Effington…
1945 Portsmouth Community Colored Library Opens-photo
Text: 1945 The brick building is completed in June. June 30: first librarian, Bertha Winborne Edwards, a recent Hampton Institute graduate is hired. December 20: Portsmouth Community Library opens with 3,000 books, 20 magazines, and three newspapers.
1958 African Americans Denied Library Cards at Portsmouth City Library-photo
Text: 1958: March 12: two African American dentists, Dr. Hugo Owens and Dr. James Holley, seek to become cardholders of the Portsmouth City Library and are denied.Right: Dr. James Holley later became Mayor of Portsmouth.
1959 Lawsuit filed to open Portsmouth Library to all races-photo
Text: 1959 Owens and Holley file federal suits to open the City Library to all citizens, regardless of race.
1960 Federal judge rules white library open to all or close-photo
Text: A federal judge rules that the white library is to be open to all citizens or it is to be closed to all.
1962 Funds allocated for libraries of all races-photo
Text: Two libraries are incorporated by the City of Portsmouth. Board management of both libraries ends. Funds to support library services for all citizens were to be drawn from city and state funds.
1963 Portsmouth community library moved to Ebenezer Baptist Church-photo
Text: 1963 Portsmouth Community Library is closed and moved from South Street to Ebenezer Baptist Church parking lot.
Jim Crow Artifacts, Portsmouth Community Colored Library Museum-photo
Text: Jim Crow traditions and attitudes formed images of African Americans that were negative, demeaning and unattractive. Distorted facial features created ugly, simple characters that were not to be admired or respected. Jim Crow artifacts courtesy…
Jim Crow era figurine of African American male-photo
Jim Crow era figurine of African American male
Jim Crow era figurine of African American female-photo
Jim Crow era figurine of African American female