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The Publication and Reception of The Southern Negro and the Public Library

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Race, Ethnicity and Publishing in America

Abstract

Theories about American public libraries as ‘arsenals of a democratic culture’ and ‘cornerstones of liberty’ have asserted the institution’s enduring role as a ‘civic space’ where community members find enter- tainment, education and information (Ditzion 1947; Kranich 2001; Molz and Dain 1999). Such theories ignore an important part of the public library’s past, a period lasting more than 50 years when many public libraries refused service to African Americans or provided ser- vice in segregated buildings even as librarians were proclaiming their institutions ‘free to all’.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Arizona School of Information Resources and Library Science, USA

    Cheryl Knott (Associate Professor)

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  1. Cheryl Knott
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Aix-Marseille Université, France

    Cécile Cottenet (Associate Professor) (Associate Professor)

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© 2014 Cheryl Knott

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Knott, C. (2014). The Publication and Reception of The Southern Negro and the Public Library. In: Cottenet, C. (eds) Race, Ethnicity and Publishing in America. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137390523_3

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