Trailblazer Fought Injustice And Promoted Inclusion
In 1927, Miriam Matthews made history when she became the first Black librarian hired by the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL). For over three decades, Matthews was a trailblazing librarian who fought racial injustice and worked tirelessly to make libraries more inclusive.
When Matthews first started working at LAPL branches in predominantly white neighborhoods, she quickly became popular with patrons who often asked for her by name.
Her passion for her work and dedication to the community was evident. However, Matthews soon realized that LAPL did not have many resources related to Black history. She began collecting such materials herself to share with other librarians, researchers and library users.
Advocated For Black History And Intellectual Freedom
In 1929, Matthews started advocating for “Negro History Week,” which Los Angeles began observing in 1931. She also co-founded the Associated Artists Gallery to showcase works by Black artists.
As a member and later chairwoman of the California Library Association’s Committee on Intellectual Freedom in the late 1940s, Matthews successfully fought efforts to establish a board of censors at the Los Angeles County Public Library. Promoting intellectual freedom and fighting censorship would be enduring causes for Matthews throughout her career.
Supervised Dozen LAPL Branches
From 1949 until her retirement in 1960, Matthews served as regional librarian for LAPL’s South Central region, supervising twelve branch libraries. When she was first appointed to the position by City Librarian Harold L. Hamill, a committee of white citizens protested the decision.
However, Hamill refused to reconsider Matthews’ appointment, stating she was the most qualified candidate – she was, in fact, ranked first on the civil service list.
For over a decade as regional librarian, Matthews brought immense expertise and pioneering leadership to her role overseeing operations and services at a dozen LAPL branches.
Legacy Still Resonates Today
Even after retirement, Matthews continued serving on numerous boards and commissions related to libraries, Black history preservation, intellectual freedom and access to information. She was a force for positive change whose tireless advocacy left an indelible impact on LAPL.
In 2004, the Hyde Park branch of LAPL was fittingly renamed after Miriam Matthews in honor of her trailblazing legacy. That same pioneering spirit and commitment to inclusion that Matthews embodied continues to inspire librarians and library users to this day.
