The Rose M. Nolen Black History Library, Sedalia

Doctor Margaret Harlan from the Rose M. Nolen Black History Library in Sedalia called in to chat with us about the service that the library offers. She discussed a time before the Civil Rights Movement and how it impacted her and her husband to open an African American history library and why she continues to speak out/fight for her community to embrace the knowledge within its walls.

Dr. Harlan explains how she met Rose Nolen and why she and her late husband came to the decision to build a library in her honor. You can tell how much respect and love Dr. Harlan has for Rose and it's obvious how much she impacted Dr. Harlan's life.

Dr. Harlan also tells us that the Rose M. Nolen Black History Library, like all other libraries, allows you to check books out, free of charge, if you're someone who would like to learn. Unlike other libraries, though, this one is based solely on African American history and is broken up into different time frames, to make it easier to jump to the period you'd like to study about. Dr. Harlan has done a great job of finding a lot of interesting material, depositing it in one location for easy access.

I met with Doctor Harlan before this interview took place. We sat in a quaint little living room area inside the Rose M. Nolen Library to talk about what it has to offer. I immediately saw that it was full of articles, books, posters, and memorabilia that dates back to a time that some would like to forget. We discussed many things, but mostly her ambitions. It wasn't a feel good meeting as much as it was a reminder of events that should never be forgotten.

She is someone who feels very passionately about what she's doing. Given that she'd graduated high school in 1949, before the Civil Rights Movement, I understood why. She's someone who will continue to work toward educating her community about African American history, as long as one person in it is willing to learn.

You can learn more or make a donation to the Rose M. Nolen Black History Library here.