Not only was Anne Spencer a very accomplished African-American poet and activist, she was also, you guessed it, a librarian! A visit to her historic house, garden, and grave, in Lynchburg, VA, is well worth the effort.
From a Lynchburg Ledger article: “Take what you have and make what you want,” said Dr. Richard Bolling, of Virginia Seminary and College to Anne Spencer. Anne Spencer’s life as a poet, mother, wife, librarian at the segregated Dunbar High School, gardener, and woman exemplified the advice from her teacher. Her poetry, often “scribblings” found on any available surface including walls of her home and loose scraps of paper, were written for herself rather than a public audience.
Spencer now has a Facebook page (I thought it was a joke till I looked it up. I guess that is all the rage now, even for the dead: get a Facebook page!)
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