The Gainsboro Branch Library, at 15 Patton Avenue, NW, has a rich history in the Gainsboro neighborhood. Through the dedication of its librarians, the library has served as a center of education and knowledge for Roanoke’s African American community for over 100 years.
Establishment of a Library for African Americans
In 1920, prominent Gainsboro residents Lucy Addison, Rev. A. L. James, and Rev. Lylburn L. Downing formed a Library Advisory Committee to advocate for library services for Roanoke’s African American residents. Through their efforts the Gainsboro Branch of Roanoke Public Libraries was dedicated on December 13, 1921, with a formal ceremony held at First Baptist Church.
At the dedication, guest speaker Judge R. C. Jackson of the City Commission remarked that the benefits of a library included “knowledge, entertainment, pleasure, new friendships, and enrichment to the life and purpose of men and women.” Rev. A. L. James also spoke during the ceremony and noted that the dream of a library for the African American population of Roanoke had come true.
The Gainsboro Branch Library officially opened to the public on December 14, 1921, in the basement of the newly constructed Odd Fellows Hall, later the William A. Hunton Branch YMCA, on Gainsboro Road and Patton Avenue. The branch featured 2,230 books, many of which had been acquired through the proceeds of a five-day book fund campaign, which raised several thousand dollars.
At the time of its dedication, the Gainsboro Branch Library was only the second library for African Americans in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The library played an important role in the education of Roanoke’s African American children. The March 1925 issue of the Negro Progress Record reported that the Gainsboro Branch Library “is used largely by the school children. In a survey made by the superintendent of schools as to the use of the library by school students, he found that in proportion to the population the colored children were using the library about twice as much as the white children.”
Librarianship of Virginia Y. Lee
In 1928 Virginia (Young) Lee, became the branch librarian. Lee began to immediately establish a collection of books and other materials on Black history. The establishment of this collection, which would one day be known as the Virginia Y. Lee Collection. Lee modeled this collection after Black studies collections at some of the nation’s leading African American colleges, such as the Hampton Institute and Howard University. Lee also created Black history displays in the library, but these stopped when City officials objected.
In 1929 Lee organized the Jessie Fauset Reading Club, named after the Harlem Renaissance poet, scholar, and writer, to encourage reading within the community and to provide educational programming. While mainly geared towards adults, the club also oversaw reading initiatives for school children, including reading contests. By the reading club’s 10th anniversary, it reported over 100 members.
As the library’s collection grew, it became clear that the basement of the YMCA could no longer accommodate it. By the late 1930s discussions were underway with the Roanoke Library Board for a possible bond issue to fund the construction of a new Gainsboro Branch Library building. This bond issue would also include finances to fund a new downtown Main Library building. However, two years later the Library Board withdrew the Gainsboro Library proposal, instead suggesting that the library expand to another room of the Odd Fellows Hall. Addressing City Council, Black leaders responded that the community had been promised a new library building and Black voters would not vote for the bond issue without it. The bond issue passed, allocating $20,000 for the construction of the new Gainsboro Library.
The Library Advisory Committee, whose members were librarian Virginia Y. Lee, Rev. A. L. James, attorney Jacob Reed, and Dr. Ellwood Downing, considered multiple sites for the location of the new Gainsboro Branch Library. However, the cost to purchase property was estimated to be a substantial amount of allocated funds for the library. One of these properties was a lot owned by St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, on the northeast corner of Patton Avenue and Gainsboro Road, where a foundry operated.
Librarian Virginia Lee approached the church about the land and spoke with Father Thomas Martin. The discussion went well, official correspondence occurred, and church officials agreed to lease the property for 99 years for the use of the library (Roanoke Public Libraries,1982).
At the time, the church was charging rent to the foundry that was located on the site. However, to be tax exempt the property needed to be used for church purposes. This resulted in the church owing back taxes on the property. In 1941 a well-crafted deal was reached that benefited both the church and the City where the church deeded the property to the City for use of the library in lieu of paying the taxes owed.
In 1982 Lee also noted that the original design for the new library building was imagined and sketched by her, drawing from the Tudor style of the Hotel Roanoke. Architectural firm Eubank & Caldwell, Inc., completed the design for the 3,050 square-foot building, including a main reading room, office, lecture room, reference room, and an unfinished basement.
Dedication of New Building
The dedication ceremony on May 10, 1942, was a joyous affair held at the First Baptist Church of Gainsboro, featuring speakers, devotionals, and music.The opening ceremonies included:
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- A dedication by Dr. Ellwood Downing with a tribute to deceased original Library Advisory Committee members Lucy Addison and Rev. Lylburn L. Downing, and surviving member Rev. A. L. James.
- The Priscilla Art Club and the Downing Family were recognized for their donation of the two large portraits of Addison and Downing that hang in the library’s main reading room.
- Devotionals conducted by Rev. L. L. White, pastor of St. Paul’s AME Church.
- Music by the N&W Chorus and the Addisonians.
- Speeches by prominent Roanokers including Mayor Walter Woods.
- Dr. J. M. Ellison, president of Virginia Union University in Richmond, gave the principal address. He said that the library “was a measurement of the intellectual stride and aspiration of the people who constitute this commonwealth,” and “was a symbol of the actual and potential intelligence of its citizens.”
Community Education and Black Studies Collection
Virginia Y. Lee continued to grow the library’s collection, however with limited funds to purchase titles, Lee supplemented the collection by writing to prominent African Americans, such as Langston Hughes and W. C. Handy, who donated signed copies of books, photographs, sheet music, and other material to the library’s collection. The community was also supportive and supplied the library with donations.
Lee was dedicated to providing learning opportunities to the community’s children. She used the library as an educational center, creating programming such as Book Week celebrations and Summer Reading Programs.
Preserving the Black Studies Collection
In 1943 Lee collaborated with the YMCA and the Hampton Institute to launch the People’s War College, an adult education series designed to prepare citizens for life during and after World War II. Courses offered included religious studies, bookkeeping, shorthand, English, and mathematics. After the war ended, the program was renamed the Community College and ran until 1946.
In the mid-40s, City officials once again demanded that Virginia Lee dispose of the library’s black studies collection and cease displays on Black history. She risked her job and defied officials by hiding the collection in the basement of the library, while continuing to collect materials.
During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, there was growing national interest in Black studies and the contributions and heritage of African Americans, making Lee’s collection much sought after in the Roanoke Valley. In 1963 the Gainsboro Branch Library had the largest circulation of all of the branch libraries in the City of Roanoke, outside of the Main Library.
After 43 years of service, Virginia Y. Lee retired in 1971. In 1982, Lee remarked that the library had been her life and she still had memories of “not only trying to make this a star city, but to have this little Gainsboro Branch Library shine as bright as any star you’ve ever seen.”
Librarianship of Carla Lewis
Caralene (Carla) Levern Mathis Lewis became branch librarian in 1973.
In 1976 and 1982 the City of Roanoke attempted to close the Gainsboro Library, as a result of consolidation studies. However, both closures were stopped due to the community’s push for it to remain open. In 1976, Black leaders argued that closing the branch would divest the community of a cultural institution which housed the City’s largest collection of books on Black studies and Black history.
The Virginia Y. Lee Collection was dedicated in 1982, through the efforts of librarian Carla Lewis. The collection consists of rare and first edition books on African American history, many of which were collected by Lee. It is the largest collection of Black studies in Southwest Virginia.
The library was designated a Virginia State Landmark and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996, an accomplishment overseen by Carla Lewis with the involvement of many community leaders and historians.
In 2006 Lewis helped launch the Roanoke Public Libraries Oral History Initiative and was instrumental in collecting and preserving stories of historic Gainsboro by gathering participation of neighborhood residents.
The Gainsboro Branch Library was renovated in 2008, nearly doubling the size of the structure, yet maintaining its original character. The renovation added a community room, new bathrooms, study room, and teen center to the library. Additionally, the Virginia Y. Lee Collection was moved and is now located in the Virginia Y. Lee Room. In 2020, the library was renovated once again.
Today, the library houses not only the Virginia Y. Lee Collection, but special collections and vertical files that document the rich heritage of Roanoke’s African American community.
The Gainsboro Branch Library continues to serve the community and strives to honor the dedication and legacy of the librarians that came before.
Librarians
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- Ella Bowden (1921-1923)
- Emma Lyons (1924)
- Harriet Miles (1924-1928)
- Virginia Y. Lee (1928-1971)
- Rebecca Cooper (1971-1972)
- Carla M. Lewis (1972-2009)
- Tommy Waters (2009)
- Randi Wines (2010-2018)
- Chelsea Seddon (2018-2019)
- Christina LaFon (2019)
- Megan Mizak (2021-Present)
Sources
Cochener, M. M. (1989). On the hill: St. Andrew’s Parish, Roanoke, Virginia. Roanoke, Virginia: (n.p.).
Gainsboro Branch Library. (1982, September 26). Dedication of the Afro-American collection honoring Mrs. Virginia Y. Lee [Audio recording]. Gainsboro Library Records. Gainsboro Branch Library, Roanoke, VA, United States.
Lawson, S. B. (2000, May). Virginia Dare Young Lee and the Gainsboro Library (Thesis). Hollins University.
Lee, V. Y. & Lewis, C. (1921-2009). Gainsboro Library Records [Special collection]. Gainsboro Branch Library, Roanoke, VA, United States.
New Journal and Guide. (1939, June 17). J. Faucet Reading Club nears end of 10th year. (Gainsboro Library Vertical Files, Gainsboro Library Folder).