Built 1907 Opened 1908 Phone +1 502-574-1779 Added to NRHP 6 December 1975 | NRHP Reference # 75000771 Area 3,642 m² Architectural style Beaux-Arts architecture | |
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Location 604 S. 10th St., Louisville, Kentucky Address 604 S 10th St, Louisville, KY 40203, USA Hours Open today · 12–8PMMonday12–8PMTuesday12–8PMWednesday10AM–8PMThursday12–8PMFriday10AM–5PMSaturday10AM–5PMSundayClosed Similar Central State Hospital, Starks Building, Kentucky State Capitol, 400 West Market, Louisville Gardens | ||
The Louisville Free Public Library, Western Colored Branch is a Carnegie library, the first public library built for African-Americans. Also known as Louisville Free Public Library, Western Branch, it is a branch of the Louisville Free Public Library system.
History
The library was opened in 1905, originally located at 1125 West Chestnut Street in three rooms rented from a private residence. Albert Ernest Meyzeek, principal of Central High School at the time, was concerned about the lack of adequate reading and reference materials at the school. He challenged the 1902 legislation that created the Louisville Free Public Library system, on the basis that it did not adequately serve African-Americans, and persuaded the city council to open a branch to fill this need.
Industrialist Andrew Carnegie donated funds to build a new library building, designed by McDonald & Dodd, which opened in 1908. The library was well received by the community and was proclaimed successful by the librarians. The library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
Several prominent African-American librarians worked in the Western Branch and assisted in educating and outreach to the local black community. Of particular note is Rachel Davis Harris, a female African-American librarian who was influential in providing services to the Louisville African-American community during the Jim Crow era in the South.
In 2001 Prince anonymously donated $12,000 to keep the library from closure.