Dunbar Historical Library

The Dunbar Historical Library is a treasure trove of African-American history located at 903 Martin Luther King Dr, San Angelo, TX 76903. Founded in 1899, the library is the oldest free public library in San Angelo, and one of its most significant historical landmarks. The Dunbar Historical Library began as a small collection housed in the basement of St. Paul’s Methodist Church in San Angelo. Thomas William Dunbar, who served as the president of San Angelo’s Colored YMCA from 1895 to 1900, spearheaded the campaign to establish an official library for blacks in the city. Additionally, he helped raise funds to construct a building for blacks to use for literary activities. After years of fundraising and construction, the library opened on June 1st 1904 with 467 volumes. Today it houses more than 17,000 books, journals, newspapers and other periodicals about topics relevant to black people throughout history. Read More

Significance of the Dunbar Historical Library

The Dunbar Historical Library is a treasure trove of African-American history in San Angelo, Texas. Founded in 1899, the library is the oldest free public library in San Angelo, and one of its most significant historical landmarks. The Dunbar Historical Library began as a small collection housed in the basement of St. Paul’s Methodist Church in San Angelo. Thomas William Dunbar, who served as the president of San Angelo’s Colored YMCA from 1895 to 1900, spearheaded the campaign to establish an official library for blacks in the city. Additionally, he helped raise funds to construct a building for blacks to use for literary activities. After years of fundraising and construction, the library opened on June 1st 1904 with 467 volumes. Today it houses more than 17,000 books, journals, newspapers and other periodicals about topics relevant to black people throughout history.

The Story of How the Library Was Founded

The Dunbar Historical Library is a treasure trove of African-American history in San Angelo, Texas. Founded in 1899, the library is the oldest free public library in San Angelo, and one of its most significant historical landmarks. The Dunbar Historical Library began as a small collection housed in the basement of St. Paul’s Methodist Church in San Angelo. Thomas William Dunbar, who served as the president of San Angelo’s Colored YMCA from 1895 to 1900, spearheaded the campaign to establish an official library for blacks in the city. Additionally, he helped raise funds to construct a building for blacks to use for literary activities. After years of fundraising and construction, the library opened on June 1st 1904 with 467 volumes. Today it houses more than 17,000 books, journals, newspapers and other periodicals about topics relevant to black people throughout history.

A Take-Away Book: Dr. William H. Marr and the Early History of the Dunbar Library

Dr. William H. Marr was the first librarian of the Dunbar Library. He negotiated an agreement with the San Angelo Independent School District to allow black children to study at the library during the school day. At the time, the State of Texas did not allow black high school students to attend public universities. In 1906, Dr. Marr led a campaign to establish the Marr Library, the first public library in the black community. Dr. Marr believed that the Dunbar Library was not providing black people with what they needed. The Dunbar Library, which was funded by subscriptions, charged $2.50 per year, which was not enough money to earn much of a return on the yearly subscription.

The “Olympic” Colored YMCA Collection in San Angelo, Texas

In the year 1900, Thomas William Dunbar, the library’s first president, began creating a collection of books and periodicals for the library. Thomas William Dunbar, who served as the president of San Angelo’s Colored YMCA from 1895 to 1900, spearheaded the campaign to establish an official library for blacks in the city. Additionally, he helped raise funds to construct a building for blacks to use for literary activities. After years of fundraising and construction, the library opened on June 1st 1904 with 467 volumes. Today it houses more than 17,000 books, journals, newspapers and other periodicals about topics relevant to black people throughout history.

Final Words

In the late 1800s, the Dunbar Historical Library began as a small collection housed in the basement of St. Paul’s Methodist Church in San Angelo. Thomas William Dunbar, who served as the president of San Angelo’s Colored YMCA from 1895 to 1900, spearheaded the campaign to establish an official library for blacks in the city. Additionally, he helped raise funds to construct a building for blacks to use for literary activities. After years of fundraising and construction, the library opened on June 1st 1904 with 467 volumes. Today it houses more than 17,000 books, journals, newspapers and other periodicals about topics relevant to black people throughout history.

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