Carnegie Branch Library (Meridian, Mississippi)
Encyclopedia
The Carnegie Branch Library at 13th St and 28th Ave in Meridian, Mississippi
is one of two former Carnegie libraries in the city, both funded by a grant from Andrew Carnegie
in 1904. This library was built for blacks while the other was built for whites. The other library was built at 25th Ave and 7th St and now houses the Meridian Museum of Art
. Both buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1979. The black library was demolished in 2008.
Andrew Carnegie
for funding assistance. Marks, who helped operate the Marks-Rothenberg Department Store next door to the Grand Opera House
, was an acquaintance of Carnegie and convinced him to issue a $38,000 grant in 1904 to the city's government to build two Carnegie libraries — one for whites and one for African-Americans. The white library would receive $30,000 while the African American one would receive $8,000.
The city used the money both to renovate the vacant building (formerly owned by the First Presbyterian Church of Meridian
) at 25th Ave and 7th St and transform it into the white library and to build the African American library at 13th St and 28th Ave on land donated by a local Methodist church. The African American library was the first and only library for blacks in the state until after World War I
and is the only Carnegie library ever built for African Americans in the country.
The two libraries served the city until 1967, when the institutions became integrated, combined their collections, and moved all materials to the new Meridian Public Library at 2517 7th St. The former white library was renovated and converted into the Meridian Museum of Art
in 1970, and the former African American library was demolished on May 28, 2008.
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
is one of two former Carnegie libraries in the city, both funded by a grant from Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
in 1904. This library was built for blacks while the other was built for whites. The other library was built at 25th Ave and 7th St and now houses the Meridian Museum of Art
Meridian Museum of Art
Meridian Museum of Art is an art museum located at 628 25th Avenue, Meridian, Mississippi. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and declared a Mississippi Landmark in 1985...
. Both buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1979. The black library was demolished in 2008.
History
A group of women in the city had formed the Fortnightly Book and Magazine Club in the 1880s and began raising money to build a library for the city. The books they collected and shared within the club were later the basis of the library collection for Meridian. With wide support for the library, the club enlisted Israel Marks, a city leader, to approach the national philanthropistPhilanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
for funding assistance. Marks, who helped operate the Marks-Rothenberg Department Store next door to the Grand Opera House
Grand Opera House (Meridian, Mississippi)
The Riley Center, also known as the Grand Opera House and formally as the Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts is a performing arts and conference center in Meridian, Mississippi...
, was an acquaintance of Carnegie and convinced him to issue a $38,000 grant in 1904 to the city's government to build two Carnegie libraries — one for whites and one for African-Americans. The white library would receive $30,000 while the African American one would receive $8,000.
The city used the money both to renovate the vacant building (formerly owned by the First Presbyterian Church of Meridian
First Presbyterian Church of Meridian
First Presbyterian Church of Meridian is a historic church in Meridian, Mississippi, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1979. The church was founded in 1856 by eight members including John T. Ball and Lewis A. Ragsdale, founders of the city of Meridian...
) at 25th Ave and 7th St and transform it into the white library and to build the African American library at 13th St and 28th Ave on land donated by a local Methodist church. The African American library was the first and only library for blacks in the state until after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and is the only Carnegie library ever built for African Americans in the country.
The two libraries served the city until 1967, when the institutions became integrated, combined their collections, and moved all materials to the new Meridian Public Library at 2517 7th St. The former white library was renovated and converted into the Meridian Museum of Art
Meridian Museum of Art
Meridian Museum of Art is an art museum located at 628 25th Avenue, Meridian, Mississippi. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and declared a Mississippi Landmark in 1985...
in 1970, and the former African American library was demolished on May 28, 2008.