Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise Online | Women's Network recognizes heroism of Ruth Brown

Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise Online | Women's Network recognizes heroism of Ruth Brown: "For many people, the phrase “story time at the public library,” evokes a memory of pleasant childhood hours listening to a caring adult read stories to children. For people in Bartlesville in the late 1940's however, storytime, or the suggestion that African American children might attend along with white children, came close to tearing the town apart.

The tale of storytime, more specifically, the civil rights advocacy of Bartlesville's librarian Ruth W. Brown, is taught in library schools across the country. The Oklahoma Library Association recognizes Miss Brown by an annual award to individuals or groups that use books, libraries or information sources to address issues of social concern.

Women's Network proposes placement of a bronze bust of Ruth Brown in the Bartlesville Public Library to recognize Bartlesville's heroine of civil rights."


Be sure to read the entire article if you aren't familiar with Ruth Brown's story.