Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered as one of history’s greatest orators. Each year, soundbites from his speeches are shared widely. Yet, as a librarian, I reflect on Dr. King’s legacy as a voracious reader and prolific writer. His engagement with libraries, beginning as a young boy in Atlanta, shaped his intellectual growth. At just nine years old, he borrowed his first books on Gandhi from Annie L. McPheeters, Atlanta’s first Black librarian, graduating from the children’s section to adult books.
For Black librarians, libraries are not merely collections of books but spaces of discovery where marginalized stories find representation. However, these stories are often erased or distorted, reflecting deliberate efforts to rewrite history. Black librarians like McPheeters, Dorothy Porter, and North Carolina’s Allegra Westbrooks fought to preserve and celebrate Black history. Their work embodies the transformative power of storytelling — a radical act of empowerment.
Allegra Westbrooks’ legacy in Charlotte is particularly inspiring. She worked to make libraries accessible, aligning with Dr. King’s values. Today, as a librarian at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, I honor this legacy by preserving marginalized voices and amplifying diverse narratives. These efforts counteract the erasure of histories and align with King’s vision of justice…