Freedom Libraries: The Untold Story of Libraries for African Americans in the South

by Mike Selby

As the Civil Rights Movement exploded across the United States, the media of the time was able to show the rest of the world images of horrific racial violence. And while some of the bravest people of the 20th century risked their lives for the right to simply order a cheeseburger, ride a bus, or use a clean water fountain, there was another virtually unheard of struggle--this one for the right to read. Although illegal, racial segregation was strictly enforced in a number of American states, and public libraries were not immune. Numerous libraries were desegregated on paper only: there would be no cards given to African-Americans, no books for them read, and no furniture for them to use. It was these exact conditions that helped create Freedom Libraries. Over eighty of these parallel libraries appeared in the Deep South, staffed by civil rights voter registration workers. While the grassroots nature of the libraries meant they varied in size and quality, all of them created the first encounter many African-Americans had with a library. Terror, bombings, and eventually murder would be visited on the Freedom Libraries--with people giving up their lives so others could read a library book. This book delves into how these libraries were the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, and the remarkable courage of the people who used them. They would forever change libraries and librarianship, even as they helped the greater movement change the society these libraries belonged to. Photographs of the libraries bring this little-known part of American history to life.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Social Justice, Race, American History, Librarianship, Politics

208 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2019

Reviews

[Heidi Wiechert · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Freedom Libraries, Mike Selby remembers and honors the volunteers and patrons of the numerous libraries set up to serve black populations mainly in the southern states during the civil rights era and later.

During that period of history, the institutionalized racism of many southern towns extended to library services. Books and learning programs were specifically curated at whites-only libraries in order to propagate the disgusting ideology of white supremacy in addition to keeping the black population illiterate and subjugated.

"Pattie Mae McDonald operated a "Freedom Library" out of two rooms of her modest home. This was enough to earn her and her family terror and attempted murder."

The volunteers and anyone who was brave enough to visit the freedom libraries, set up in private homes and wherever a semi-safe space could be found, were subject to shootings, harassment and arrest by local authorities, and even fire bombings. Some gave not only of their time but also their lives to keep the freedom libraries going. It is a frightening and dark moment in library history that, I feel, has been largely forgotten, until now.

"The right to vote would be everything for African Americans. The right to read would be something else entirely. Voting would make them citizens; libraries would make them free."

In addition to remembering the bravery and sacrifice of those involved with the freedom libraries, this book illustrates some of the particular problems of librarianship that came along with the creation of the libraries.

Sadly, the American Library Association did little, if anything, to assist in the creation of freedom libraries, even though their written policies were against segregation. Very few of the volunteers who ran the organizations knew anything about cataloging and maintaining library collections. There was no money for curating books or creating community programs. Yet, somehow, the freedom libraries persevered in both expanding their collections and offering a wide variety of enriching and educational programming in the midst of life-threatening situations.

This perseverance may have had something to do with the uniquely fluid characteristics of libraries themselves. As Selby points out, after the firebombing of the McComb Freedom House: "With the building still smoldering, the after-school youth just waited on the ground outside. The children somehow knew what many adults in the twenty first century have difficulty grasping: the fact that a library is a service, not a collection. A library exists for the librarians and patrons, not the other way around."

Highly recommended for readers who like to remember forgotten moments in history and for anyone who knows, or would like to learn more about, the power and life-changing reality of public libraries.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this book.

[Stacie C · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many stories go untold. So many truths remain hidden. Certain areas of history that you weren’t even aware of become visible and it has the ability to shift the world as you see it. I considered myself well read in regards to the events of Freedom Summer and the works of Civil Rights activist that summer of 1964. Not a scholar or researcher but I had done my due diligence to be knowledgeable of a history, that as a Black woman, has affected my life in so many profound ways. But I have never heard of the Freedom Libraries and their significance to Freedom Summer until I came across this book. Now a whole new chapter of the racial injustices Black people have suffered in this country has been opened to me and I won’t lie, I was distraught while reading this. I love reading and always have. The thought of not being allowed to access books is terrifying and heartbreaking to me. To read of the lengths people went to prohibit Black people from having access to books is so frustrating. But right on par with the history of the United States

Selby did an excellent job providing information on the history of Freedom Libraries. It’s obvious that this book was thoroughly researched with a goal of providing as much information as possible about not only the existence of the libraries but those who worked tirelessly to run them. These Freedom Libraries became community hubs, many turning into Head Start programs. They became places for Black people to learn, not only how to read but about their history. Freedom Libraries stressed having books written by Black people so readers could see themselves reflected on the page. They reached out to young and old alike. And they were seen as a threat. Freedom Libraries were attacked, bombed and mobbed but people kept coming because in a time where Black people weren’t allowed to go into white libraries, they became a place of hope.

I’m so grateful for this book. It is extremely well written, concise and thorough. You can tell this book was handled with care and meant to respect and honor those who fought so hard to bring access to books to everyone. Highly recommending this book. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley

It is well known that denying knowledge is a way to keep a group down or enslaved. It is the reason why teaching a slave to read was crime. We have, in some senses, over looked the power of education not only in the Civil Right movement. Luckily this didn’t sit well with Mike Selby.

While most people know about the Freedom Riders, but the libraries that were set up in towns and the education that the places provided are less well known, though the people who ran them faced the same level of violence and harassment. Selby traces various libraries in various states as well as one that was run in Philadelphia.

Selby provides biographical details about the various people who ran and set up the libraries as well as interviewing people who used them. In some cases, the libraries were more popular than the university libraries that they resided next to. The book opens with Selby providing background into how various public libraries and the ALA itself viewed Jim Crow laws and access to books (knowledge). This background shows not only why the Freedom Libraries were needed but also how knowledge was held back from African-Americans. Though, there are some surprises in some states, and sometimes rather strange partnerships.

The sheer opening of a library was a struggle from getting the books to finding a suitable building. The libraries were also concealed about diversity well ahead of the curve – in particular looking for books about black history and by black authors. The books were donated, and in some cases, even collected by young children. Selby, like many a book lover, seems to be increasingly frustrated that there is no list of titles for any of the libraries, though this is hardly surprising. While Selby does mention popular titles in the various libraries, I found myself wishing that there was a comprehensive list of known titles at the back of the book.

Selby also details the resistance and violence that the librarians faced, including times when the places were bombed. The cover of the book drives home this point for it is of two men guarding a Freedom Library.

Selby’s writing style is that of a reporter. His prose quickly grabs the reader and the book actually flies by. The structure of the book works quite well and Selby takes the time to explain why different states called for different approaches.

If you are interested in libraries and/or the Civil Right Movement, you should read this book.

[jess ~has abandoned GR~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and necessary remembrance of the community center libraries that sprang up to serve Black residents in a few locations during and around the Freedom Summer of 1964. Volunteers both local and out of state faced everything from crumbling infrastructure to assassination attempts to introduce libraries into communities that were systematically denied them.

This is important for two reasons -- one, to remember. This struggle happened here involving some people who are still alive today, not in a far-away time and place. Second, even now, this book is a lesson in what could happen when we completely reimagine the library and it's role in the community. What would it look like if we built it from the bottom up, basing it entirely on the needs and wants of the community it serves?

Overall, an excellent and quick read, and recommended for library lovers and history buffs everywhere.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Training to become a librarian and earning my master's degree is something that has been one of the cornerstones and defining aspects of my life. It means everything to me. I cannot imagine approaching a university offering the degree, starting there, causing a riot, having to be driven in a car that was heavily pelted with stones, and then asked to leave because it was too great a safety risk on the basis of the colour of my skin. That is exactly what happened to Autherine Lucy in Alabama in the 1950s.

While the history of librarianship has been well-documented from the white, euro-centric view and library schools extol the virtues of Melville Dewey to S.R. Ranganathan, Marcia Bates's red thread of information, and more, and on the subject of segregation, many titles and journal articles have proliferated over time, little attention has been given toward where these topics intersect. Here is where the book "Freedom Libraries" comes in. The practice of libraries, especially public libraries, to push for more diversification in terms of what they offer to patrons and being more inclusive of welcoming patrons without racial discrimination, is more of a modern one than people realize. The segregation that affected people of colour largely in the Southern United States prior to the Civil Rights era extended to libraries. Black people in the United States were barred from going into public library branches, much less get borrower cards or have access to materials. They were told that they would get segregated branches for themselves, but even when that happened, many problematic issues came out. This book addresses many of them, providing an illuminating account of the barriers black people faced for access to books and reading material, and all the obstacles they endured.

To say that this is an important book for any librarian, library school student, or general reader who wants to know more about the history of librarianship in the United States as it concerns discrimination and segregation would be an understatement. More books like this need to proliferate so that people reading now can understand the history of systems of oppression, how they were allowed to manifest and continue, as well as how people subverted them and fought to make changes for equal access. The sad fact is that although libraries have become much more welcoming spaces that have written into their Codes of Conduct and Mission Statements that they will not tolerate racial discrimination of any kind, whether toward a patron or directed at an employee who may be a person of colour, access to quality reading material continues to be a problem for many under-served and neglected communities in the Southern United States.

I personally think this book should be taught in graduate library school programs if it is not already included in that capacity.

[Jifu · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Note: I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley)

Speaking first as just a fairly avid reader with a preference for history, I deeply appreciate the work that Mike Selby has put into creating a work that is able to give such thorough and much-needed attention to a very overlooked part of the Civil Rights Movement.

And when speaking as a professional librarian, I deeply, deeply wish that this book or a book remotely like it was available when I was earning my MLS degree. What little I learned about American libraries' relatively recent checkered past didn't amount to much more than a few pages in a textbook and some all-too-brief classroom discussion. I had absolutely no idea about the depths to which American libraries were also infected by the racial discrimination and segregation that has so deeply plagued the country's history. Neither did I have any knowledge whatsoever of the Freedom Libraries, nor the incredibly brave and devoted women and men who strove to try and establish them in the race of incredible hostility the likes of which I have no genuine experience of. Suffice to say, I feel like I was given anything but a rounded history of my profession. One can probably only begin to imagine the gratitude I feel towards Mike Selby and Freedom Libraries for not only filling in a critical knowledge gap, but also for providing an abundance of role models I wasn't able to look up to until now, and whose examples of bravery and devotion would have served me well had I known of them sooner.

At the very least, I hope that Mike Selby's new book becomes widely read in general. But it's an even stronger hope of mine that upon publication this book quickly starts getting assigned as required reading in library science programs all across the US.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories of courage, sacrifice, and dignity. Convicting.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received this book from NetGalley in return for a honest review*

"A library is not a collection of books. Nor is it a building." Being a librarian, libraries are obviously very important to me and while I do know that there is was more to this world than books and the places where they are housed, I feel like that can even get lost for me. This book did a great job of reminding me why libraries are important and why libraries should be political and why we need to be.

As a 21st century Canadian, the stories told in this book were very untold and I learned a lot through this book about the fight to provide library services in communities where there weren't libraries at all, or where the African American communities were not allowed to use the libraries that were there. This was a dangerous job, but it provided essential services and hope.

I liked how this story brought you through the different states, showing how each one needed to be approached so differently and how communities fought against these Freedom Libraries and how the people embraced them. It showed the importance of communities spaces, but also how donated books aren't always the best.

This was a great book that taught me something new about history and refocused my library view.

[TilDeathDoesSheRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

For lovers of books, libraries and people. This is the sad history of our nation’s inequality relative to something you love if you’re taking the time to read this review. This book deepens my respect for how hard we’ve fought as a nation to make literacy a basic human right. Freedom Libraries offers an honest look at this fight and the figures that stood up to deplorable treatment of fellow Americans and endured the travesty of American rascism.

[Dave Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Selby does a masterful job of telling a story about courage, about people who recognized -- despite the threat of significant violence -- that libraries change people's lives.

At a time when the Civil Rights movement was sweeping across the United States, and when brave people risked their lives to ride a bus, order a meal in a restaurant, or even use a water fountain, others were risking equally as much for the right to read.

This is a fascinating, skillfuly written and incredibly well-researched story of the Freedom Libraries, the 80 or so one or two-room facilities that popped up across the southern states, filled with borrowed books that were for many African Americans their first opportunity to read.

"Libraries are a promise made by a community ... Freedom Libraries remain the best illustration of this."

[Laura Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating! Both proud and horrified by the history of librarianship as told in this NF book. Proud of the people and the one trained librarian who helped create the freedom libraries in Mississippi. Horrified by the ALA’s inaction during the civil rights era and before that. So many of the places in the chapters about Mississippi are places I know from the 5 years I worked in Indianola, MS so that made it especially interesting. I love his conclusions about the impact and lessons from Freedom Libraries...like that libraries are not a place or a collection of books but a service and a “promise made by a community.” Also that libraries are beacons of hope and work best when they reflect the needs of the community, but most importantly that libraries CHANGE LIVES. I loved hearing about librarians abandoning cataloging perfectly and putting children’s books among the adult books to help alleviate any shame that underserved, illiterate adults may feel about checking out a book with fewer words. Props to the librarian who refused to charge fines because she didn’t care if the books came back; if they didn’t she figured they were needed more in the homes than on the shelves. What a wonderful book about an important part of our history.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful book sheds light on a little known aspect of Civil Rights history, while demonstrating the overpowering value of books and libraries. Kudos to Mike Selby for giving us this necessary and important book.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unsung chapter in the Civil Rights Movement comes to life with all the drama, terror, determination, and dignity it deserves. As a Southerner, and a librarian, I wouldn’t have thought I needed to be schooled by a Canadian about my own people. But I was, and I think we all need to know about the courageous, brief existence of thriving libraries for African Americans alongside the marches and bombings.
The author says that when he attended the University of Alabama library science program, he was told that these libraries did not exist. However, new information came to light in 2008, and he began collecting interviews. Along with the Freedom Riders, people were sent from the North, often with little training, to set up libraries and community centers with donated books. In Mississippi and Alabama, libraries were supposed to be segregated, but there often were no libraries at all for African Americans. In fact, there were barely any libraries at all. “Extensive poverty led many persons to prefer low taxes rather than libraries.”
Northern donors sent thousands of books South, many of which were unusable, but the librarians tried really hard to get what they needed: lots of children’s books, especially those with Black characters, and all the African American literature and Afrocentric history they could find. Library staff provided literacy and civic instruction, tied in with the voter registration effort. “Part of the [civil rights] struggle was to get control of your past away from those who would define you, those who put you in a subservient position to begin with,” said one former librarian. “I think that is one reason why the libraries were so important.”
Supremacist violence has been well documented: the fire hoses, dogs, beatings, burning crosses, etc. David Halberstam called it “America at its ugliest.” The libraries experienced threats, random shots fired in the windows, and even firebombing. The workers were in terrible danger, often picked up by law enforcement and jailed on bogus charges. One of the librarians at the Meridian, Miss., Freedom Library was Rita Schwerner, wife of Michael Schwerner, who was to become one of the victims of the Mississippi Burning murders.
As much violence and ugliness as there is in this book, there is also the inspiring hope and courage and success that makes me want to tell everyone to read this. “Jim Crow was America at its worst. Public libraries are America at its best. Bridging these two were the Freedom Libraries, which revealed the nightmare of library service in a segregated society, therefore aiding ‘a democracy aspiring to complete itself.’”
There is no doubt that the Freedom Riders who came South to help with the Civil Rights movement were heroes; however, at least at the beginning of this story, they are all white people, so there is the element of the ‘white savior’ about them that is a little bit problematic. Later on, African Americans began to take the lead on establishing and maintaining libraries in their communities, so it gets better.
I did find some problems with the text and some abrupt jumps in subject matter, but since I read an ARC I don’t know if they will be smoothed out in the editorial process. For example, Michael Schwerner is mentioned, and then the people at the Meridian Library are trying to figure out how to memorialize him and the other two men killed that summer. The Freedom Summer Murders is a well-known chapter of history, but the facts need to at least be presented. A better job is done integrating the Selma, Ala., library project with the Selma March and the work of Martin Luther King.
Still, the book’s flaws should not deter anyone. Everyone, especially my library colleagues and information science students, should read this book and understand that library work has never been about shushing. It will always be about activism. There have always been people who felt threatened by the spread of knowledge and ideas, and the struggle against the forces of ignorance will never end.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Moving, enlightening, and truly fascinating "Freedom Libraries" is a fantastic history of Freedom Summer, the Civil Rights Movement, and the untold story of Freedom Libraries and the librarians who ran them.

In many towns throughout the South during the summer of 1964 and beyond, Freedom Libraries were established by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), bringing libraries, literacy and books to black communities where black citizens either could not enter white-only public libraries, had very low literacy rates, had little access to any sort of books by and about African-Americans, or a combination thereof. These Freedom Libraries quickly became community centers for the young and the old, were trials by fire for those who were tasked with establishing the libraries, and often just as dangerous to be a part of as other aspects of the Civil Rights Movement. However, the persistence of these brave souls has paid off but at a cost: very few know about the Freedom Libraries. That will change with this book.

Thoroughly researched, Mike Selby's interviews, photos, and anecdotes bring to life both the Civil Rights Movement and the Freedom Libraries. This is a brilliant book if you are interested in American History, African-American History, Library History, or are a library student or librarian. Particularly if you are a library student or librarian, as Selby pulls no punches when it comes to taking away the rose-colored glasses of American public library history but also structures his final chapter around lessons that modern-day librarians can learn from the librarians of the Freedom Libraries. In fact, I would highly recommend this title to be included as part of curriculum in both undergraduate and graduate level Library Science classes in order for forthcoming library professionals to have a better grasp of library past in order to prepare a better library future.

[Leroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was hard to read. Important, but hard. My heart aches for how America has treated our brothers and sisters of color. And I have to wonder: how much progress have we really made?

[Isaiah · Rating 4 out of 5]

To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.

I got an ARC of this book.

I was having a conversation with someone the other day about how much history is just unknown. Unless you know what to look for and who knows things, so much is either forgotten or covered up. Libraries are some of my favorite places. When I move into a city, the very first thing I do is get a library card. Libraries have always been this safe place and they are everywhere, I am always in awe of them. I have never thought I had taken them for granted until I read this book.

Libraries are everywhere now. Not too long ago, they would have only existed for me and not my little brother. I would have gotten the school that didn’t fill with sewage, when he wasn’t as lucky. Sometimes it is hard to think about these things since I have not experienced them and because they are truly atrocious attempts to continue to oppress and overpower a community. I think Selby made a good choice in including pictures of people in the libraries. Those pictures made it so they came to life and felt real. Pictures can really make a history come to life, for better or for worse.

The book covered such important topics from segregation to library late fees. I learned so much. I have a better respect for libraries and the programming they offer. I have even more mixed feelings for the ALA. My feelings about late fees might not have changed, but they might be maturing. These libraries existed without late fees. They did so much for the community. They became a place of learning for all who needed them. They were the libraries of my dreams.

Overall, this book was incredible. It would be a bit hard to follow if you don’t know about the Civil Rights movement. If you read March Vol 1-3, then you should be caught up on some of the major events and groups that also play a role in this book. The writing at times was very much point blank and devoid of feeling. Chunks of chapters could have been written as bullet points. I wish there was more detail and context for some of the events. More detail would have made this a five star read from me. It is a really important book and really should be on display in every library to show how important libraries can be to a community and to be a goal for libraries to strive for.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book that should be read, especially, by librarians, librarians-to-be, and all library employees, in general. It reads like a college text book. The stance of the American Library Association during the era was a disappointing revelation and the beloved Carnegie libraries took a hit, too. The Student Non-Violent Co-Ordinating Committee (SNCC), Freedom Summers, and the courageous people who made these libraries and those who used them are my heroes. My first year of college was 1964-1965 in Tennessee. The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) protested on our campus in full regalia, on foot and on horseback, constantly approached students, and burned a huge cross in front of the chapel. They were protesting a civil rights activist that had been invited by the college to speak on campus. I was, still am, as white as can be and I felt terrorized. Consider how the African-American students must have felt. Read this book and think about it as you absorb the current news.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb story about a part of the civil rights movement of the 1960s that the author says even many within the movement were unaware of. For some reason several of these volunteer libraries were bombed or otherwise attacked, as were the volunteers who staffed them. You would have thought that the whites would have been glad that the blacks weren't trying to enter public libraries where they were banned, but apparently they just didn't want them to be reading AT ALL. Of course, another challenge these freedom libraries faced was the illiteracy they encountered because of the historic discrimination blacks faced in every aspect of life there. I have learned, though, that there WAS a library designated for blacks in LaGrange GA even back to the 1950s, and in the 1940s, I think, Louisville KY also had a branch library where blacks could go in the redlined area where they lived.

[Georgann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't exactly say what made this book so powerful to me, but it did an amazing job at bringing the awfulness of the Civil Rights Days and those previous, to light. It hit me harder than the other books I've been reading about African-American history. I was stunned by the continual price so many paid, and the rampant hatred, completely unpunished. I mean, I knew about it, of course, but somehow this book really hit me with it all. So much tragedy and so many, many needless deaths, that go on to some degree even today. It brought home in a new way the constant state of siege and terror under which our neighbors lived, and still do. With voter suppression again a tactic, we must learn from the past. Highly recommend.

[Almira · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an "older" white woman, who lived in Florida, during the time frame in this book, I can truthfully say that I had NO knowledge about the racist part libraries in the South played.
And that so many people lost their lives, just so that others could enter a library and read.

On one hand, what Mike Selby shared with the world is absolutely "sickening", on the other hand, it is absolutely fantastic to learn that so many people around the US, and the world, wanted to become involved in opening up free access of books to people of color in the South.

Now in our country's history, we must all become stewards of maintaining free and equal access to people of all backgrounds in our nation's libraries.

[Olisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how informative, how intriguing, and how well-paced this book was. I will be recommending this book for many years to come. Mike Selby traces the history of libraries that were established by civil rights leaders to reach segregated communities throughout the south in the 60s. These libraries not only provided a place for communities to gather, but the exposure to new ideas and critical skillsets to vote and push for change. I am inspired by the brave work done. There are so many lessons from yesterday that are needed today.

[Bojan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing and inspiring. Must read for every librarian. ❤️

[rad librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative book! I learned so much from reading this book and I appreciate the attention to detail

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set amidst the turmoil of the Civil Rights era, concerned individuals of all ethnic groups found a way to bring literacy and education to African Americans in the South. In 1964, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) decided to take books southward and create libraries for African Americans who could not us the segregated, “Whites-Only” libraries. And this is in an era when the libraries, despite federal law, were desegregated on paper but found other ways to keep non-whites out. This led to the Freedom Libraries movement over that summer. Northerners and other supporters donated millions of books to establish the libraries. Volunteers came from college campuses nationwide plus from other supporters. While many were African American, Whites and Latinos also joined the effort.

Upon arrival in the south, the method of implementing the libraries differed by each states uniqueness. However, there were commonalities. Often, it was hard to find a location to set up a library in as people feared for their property. Both the volunteers and the library users were harassed. The former were often attacked just going out in public. Those who were white were often accused of sleeping with their African-American counterparts. The volunteers were also often arrested for the slightest perceived violation or for outright fabricated reasons in an effort to stop the libraries. The libraries themselves were also targets as many were set on fire or bombed, often hurting users or volunteers in the process. On the bright side, all implemented literacy programs and did their best to register voters. This helped those of all ages learn to read and enjoy reading. The programs for young children eventually evolved into Headstart programs. And this touch of literacy lead to a desire for more education and that lead to more desire for fully equal rights, not just equality on paper.

This book opened a whole new world of the history of libraries to me. Even in my history of libraries class, the Freedom Libraries were not covered. Previously, I knew libraries were fewer and farther between in the south and were affected by segregation, but this is the story of how libraries finally affected the populations that needed them the most in a hard-to-reach area, with the culture being the largest barrier. And it shows that the Freedom Libraries went far beyond the call of duty for most libraries of their era by hosting literacy programs and handling voter registration, something I do not remember public libraries offering much of when I was growing up (but I grew up in a rural area, so admittedly urban libraries may have been doing those programs/events). Given that Freedom Libraries are not covered in library school coursework and the lack of diversity in the field (it’s Caucasian-dominated), I think this should be a required reading to teach this missing history and empathy to another large group of Americans.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy from NetGalley and the publisher.

[Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book for the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had never heard of Freedom Libraries until reading this book. There is so much of our history that has been covered and hidden for myriad reasons. Authors like Mike Selby help to rip the veils from our eyes so we can learn the other part of the story, the side that is not beautiful nor patriotic, but it is a part of our country's history, nevertheless.

While the book is very informative with so many people who were involved in helping get books and information in the hands of African Americans, many of them became leaders in the Civil Rights Movement, it felt like a disjointed read. It felt jumpy, starting in a time frame and then bouncing to other times. Throughout the book, the flow of the story felt disconnected and unpolished. I am not certain if this was the author's purpose, as a way to emphasize the roughness that surrounded establishing these libraries.

My other issue with my digital copy was knowing where to continue reading when there was a picture with a caption. There was little distinction, if any, to let the reader know where to continue the paragraph. This contributed to the interrupted flow of the book.

Despite the flow and unpolished feel, I have not been able to cease talking about this book to others. Knowledge is power and for this reason alone great measures were taken to keep knowledge away from an oppressed people. Freedom Libraries were monumental to our history and I am grateful that this author has taken the time to tell us about them.

[Michelle Mallette · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my full review here.
This is an interesting and highly readable exploration of a topic at the intersection of library history and the U.S. civil rights movement. Freedom Libraries were opened when workers from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee discovered a need for books and literacy education, as they worked to help disenfranchised black citizens try to register to vote. "Voter tests" were often applied to keep black voters off the rolls, and so the volunteers set to work helping people prepare for the tests. The “whites’ public library” was as forbidden ground as the lunch counters and washrooms, so the student workers put out a call for books. Thousands poured in – many of them outdated or in poor shape, but sometimes hitting the mark: “stories written by Negroes and about Negroes.” Thus the Freedom Libraries were born, as volunteers set up reading rooms, built shelves and catalogued books, discarding the worst, or in one case, ingeniously repurposing them as bricks!
A few photos add some interest to this well-researched, superbly referenced (I suspect it's a rewrite of Selby's master's thesis) and accessible exploration of this terrible time in U.S. history. My thanks to the Grand Forks (B.C.) and District Public Library for including this item in its nonfiction collection.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book simultaneously gives me hope & just kills me. It's also a reminder that history is not linear. Hopeful: Education for all, books for all, & people giving enough of a shit to make this happen, despite the fact that other people are big enough assholes to try to keep other people down.

The things that just kill me (& also get mentioned within the book): As the Freedom Library movement was happening, the three civil rights activists were kidnapped & murdered in Nashoba County, Mississippi. The Klan kidnapped (at a minimum!) people associated with the Freedom Libraries. Community centers & Freedom Libraries were bombed & burned. As this movement went through the southern states, these types of things continued to happen. ALSO, as the libraries were opening up in Alabama, the Baptist Church in Birmingham was bombed & 4 little girls were killed in the process. (Not a straight line. ALL OF THIS WAS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.)

And I have to give this book credit. I came through it with a weird mix of hope because of the good being put out there & just hurting because of the evil that was happening at the same time.

[Paperclippe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an incredibly well-told, concise history of some horrible, horrible stuff. As a library employee who strives every day to make the space I work in more inclusive and welcoming to everyone, this hit me in the worst way. The sheer, unmasked, unabashed racism of it all, from fraudulent arrests to straight up murder was too much - not from a historical perspective but from a contemporary one, especially in light of the details surrounding the Amber Guyger case (I try not to get too newsie in my reviews, but that was on my mind the entire time) as well as the Queens library that cost $41 million and is completely inaccessible to disabled patrons, which is a different kind of institutionalized marginalization.

So yeah. This was rough.

But it's extremely important that people know this history so that they can better understand the state of the world today, and Selby does this really well, telling a coherent and powerful story that pulls the reader in even as it doesn't shy away from any of the details. A tough read, but worth it.

[Kelly Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend gave me this book to read and I so appreciate it. Thank you, Christina.

This book, like most books pertaining to African-American history, enriched my life. African-American history IS American history.

This is among the stories that some are trying to eliminate from their children's education. They don't wish for their children to know the true history of our country, where grandma and grandpa aren't the good guy, and in fact kept African-American children and adults from the resource of reading, books, and the library. Since they were not allowed to use white people's libraries, African American people and their allies built their own libraries, during Freedom Summer.

This book is packed with historical facts and data. Please read it if you're thinking about it. You will not be disappointed.

[Gail DiVico · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely one of the best and most comprehensive books I've read regarding the Civil Rights Movement and the opening up of libraries for Blacks in the South. Some of it is difficult to read due to the treatment of the Blacks in many States but, for the most part, the volunteers kept on doing their best to teach those without any reading or schooling skills. What I liked also were the more recent photographs of the people who volunteered back in the 1960's and their comments on their experiences. I highly recommend this book to all who are interested in this topic and of that awful period in our history. Many thanks to all those who volunteered. I was very young at the time living in NYS and didn't quite grasp all that was going. It certainly was a lot worse than I ever imagined.