The History of Public Library Access for African Americans in the South, or Leaving Behind the Plow

Contents: Early African American history : becoming a plow hand -- Precursors of public libraries in America -- 1820s-mid-1840s : early African American educational efforts -- Mid-1840s-1860s : from bad to worse -- The 1870s : birth pangs of the modern public library movement -- 1880s and 1890s : dissipation of newfound rights -- 1900-1910 : the rise of segregated public libraries -- 1911-1914 : ALA Kaaterskill Conference -- 1915-1925 : segregation strengthens -- 1921-1925 : the new Negro movement ; ALA tries again -- 1926-mid-1929 : calm before the storm -- Late 1929-1935 : the Depression years -- 1936-1940 : Depression, part two -- 1941-1945 : World War II -- 1945-1950 : "Victory era" for whom? -- 1951-1955 : building toward Brown -- 1956-1959 : post-Brown -- 1960-1961 : civil rights on the march -- 1962-1963 : ALA in turmoil -- 1964-1966 and beyond : civil rights realized -- Conclusion : casting off the yoke and plow.