Columbus, Georgia: Hear Us Talking

Mildred Lane Rivers Terry, was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and graduated with a B. S. in Elementary Education from Tennessee University. After graduating, she began working in Columbus, Georgia, in 1941 as the first trained librarian at Spencer High School. She also received a B. S. in Library Science in 1949 from Atlanta University.

In 1953, Mildred L. Terry was hired as the first librarian of the newly opened Fourth Avenue Library, where she served until her retirement in December 1980 [1]. In the first month of its opening, more than 1,000 African Americans applied for library cards and borrowed more than 3,500 books.

In 1981, the library was renamed The Mildred L. Terry Public Library to honor its first librarian.

Mrs. Helene Watson became Mildred L. Terry’s second librarian in 1981 after Mrs. Terry retired. In a 2002 interview, she recalls her time at the library and the “tremendous impact” Mrs. Terry left on the community. Members of the community continued to remember her, the way she helped them, and the programs they hoped would continue. In addition, Mrs. Terry and her husband would often visit the library to ensure her values were still being upheld. As both a “nest” and a “resource” for the community, Mrs. Helene Watson continued to uphold the values of Mrs. Terry and made sure every person felt welcome. As an example for staff, she would stop working when approached and make the person standing in front of her the top priority [6]. 

The Fourth Avenue Public Library opened on January 5th, 1953. It was the first public library for the Black population of Columbus, who were previously denied access to public libraries in Columbus because of the color of their skin. However, customers grew frustrated with the injustice of separate but unequal library use. In July 1963, the Bradley Library was the "scene of several demonstrations by Negro teenagers" who appeared in groups from 5 to 35 people on the following dates: July 5th, 9th, 15th, 16th, and 17th. 

At one point, several were arrested "when they attempted to block use of the main desk" [4]. During one instance, several black children occupied two tables in the reading room of the Bradley Memorial Library for an hour. They left and came back, asking to apply for library cards and check out books, at which point they were barred from entering [3]. To combat these demonstrations, the Bradley Memorial Library closed on July 17th and reopened on the 23rd; during part of this time, the Fourth Avenue and Baker Village Libraries were closed as well [4]. Eventually, the youths and Library Director John Banister would decide that they be allowed to meet with the Board of Education to discuss using the whites-only library [3]. Following these events, the Board of Education formed a Special Committee on Desegregation and desegregated the public libraries on September 1st, 1963 [5].

Mildred L. Terry was a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA). Her experience as a soror impacted her work at the library, where the AKA commitment to serve all mankind influenced the services she provided to all library patrons. There are a variety of documents from AKA that support Mildred L. Terry, and presently, there is a meeting room at the library named in honor of the sorority [2]. 

“Welcome to your library” is commonplace when you walk into Mildred L. Terry Public Library. However, a simple sentence makes a significant impact, reminding staff and customers alike that the library is for the community, first and foremost. To staff, welcoming customers to “their” library may be second-nature. Still, to individuals coming in to use the library’s resources, it provides a moment of pause to remember that this institution is genuinely for the customer. With one sentence, the current branch manager, Ms. Silvia Bunn, creates a community culture, keeping Mildred L. Terry’s dream for the library alive.