i went to the library yesterday to ask if i'd be able to post a flyer at the location for an upcoming event celebrating april birthdays of children with autism, in conjunction with easter. the young woman who assisted me kindly asked me to show her a confirmation email from the county library online support giving approval for posting the flyer at library locations, which i'd received a couple days prior within about two days of requesting permission. she then promptly posted the flyer on the bulletin board in the first corridor of the library, before the main book section.
then, while waiting for a ride from the library, i was blessed to get the opportunity to observe a magnificently curated display in the library corridor regarding the history of black wall street, as well as significant people to the literary tradition cultivated at the particular library location, which is the home of the african american resource center for the tulsa library system. among the individuals recognized for efforts to the library include hannibal johnson, john hope franklin, and nikki giovanni, each of whom is pictured on a wall display along with a quote from each concerning a connection to the library. lastly, i'd like to offer an observation about the black wall street display that especially resonated, which is that the description accompanying the image of the williams family at the center of the particular display emphasizes that the couple chose to build a life in the greenwood district more for the economic opportunity available than the connection to african american culture. yet, the image and description is juxtaposed with a display case of egyptian artifacts, which though i'm not certain is a permanent display, suggests to me that although some individuals significant to african american have not placed an emphasis on cultivating a distinct culture, culture still perseveres in history. read more