Portsmouth Community Library

Portsmouth Community Library, also known as the Portsmouth Colored Community Library, is a historic library building located at Portsmouth, Virginia. It was built in 1945 at 804 South Street. It is a one-story, three bay, brick building with a hipped roof. It was built to provide for the reading needs of Portsmouth's African Americans. In 1959, two local dentists, Dr. James Holley and Dr. Hugo A. Owens, successfully sued the City of Portsmouth and the Portsmouth Public Library to integrate the public library, which resulted in the closure of the Portsmouth Community Library. The building has been relocated twice since it was closed in 1962 after integration of the public library system; first in 1967 to the parking lot of Ebenezer Baptist Church, 730 Effingham Street, then since August 2007, it has been located at the present location, 904 Elm Avenue.[3]

Portsmouth Community Library
Location906 Elm St., Portsmouth, Virginia
Coordinates36°49′54″N 76°18′46″W
Area3 acres (1.2 ha)
Builtless than one acre
NRHP reference No.10000544[1]
VLR No.124-5130
Significant dates
Added to NRHPAugust 12, 2010
Designated VLRDecember 17, 2009[2]

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.[1]

The library is now operated as a museum of local African-American history by the City of Portsmouth. Displays include photographs and memorabilia, as well as African-American books and journals from the former library.

The African American Historical Society of Portsmouth led efforts to dedicate the historic library as a museum,[4] which opened in 2013.[5]

References
  1. "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 8/09/10 through 8/13/10. National Park Service. 2010-08-20.
  2. "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  3. Kimble David; Mae Breckenridge-Haywood; Margaret Windley (September 2009). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Portsmouth Community Library" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources. and Accompanying four photos
  4. "2014 BCALA "Library of the Year" Award!". African American Historical Society of Portsmouth. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  5. "Portsmouth library-turned-museum gives life to history". Virginian-Pilot. November 20, 2013. Retrieved 6 October 2015.


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