Podcast Description:

Black librarianship in America has a long, overlooked history, one shaped by pioneers, segregation-era barriers, and ongoing struggles for equity and visibility. In this episode of Avery Messager, we trace key milestones in Black librarianship and explore how libraries and Black bookstores have served as sites of community, knowledge, and resistance.

You’ll hear from Rodney Freeman Jr., librarian and executive producer of the documentary Are You a Librarian? The Untold Story of Black Librarians, on why he started documenting what he calls “silent erasure” and how the public can support the film ahead of its 2026 release.

We also sit down with Katie Mitchell, storyteller and bookseller, to discuss her debut book Prose to the People: A Celebration of Black Bookstores, including why she distinguishes Black bookstores vs. Black-owned bookstores, and what her research reveals about the targeted threats Black bookstores have faced.

Time Stamps / Chapters:

00:00 Welcome + Episode 5 overview (The Avery Messenger)

00:33 Phillis Wheatley Literary & Social Club + USPS stamp unveiling

01:03 Remembering Ms. Tammy McCottry

01:32 What’s ahead: Black librarianship + Black bookstores

01:54 Timeline: Black librarianship pioneers (brief survey)

07:40 ALA 2025 report + questions about inconsistent data

09:20 Guest intro: Rodney Freeman Jr. + documentary overview

10:09 Why he created Are You a Librarian? (erasure + missing history)

14:16 Choosing interviewees + perspectives across librarianship

16:21 Libraries growing up + comics + representation

19:22 Future of libraries: AI, access, and community

22:35 How to support the documentary (2026 screenings + sharing)

24:02 Guest intro: Katie Mitchell + Prose to the People

28:09 “Black bookstore” vs “Black-owned bookstore”

30:00 Targeted threats to Black bookstores + historical examples

35:03 Research process + archives

35:54 South Carolina spotlight + announcements + next episode teaser

Resources:

The Stacks Speaks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz962vrrsNI

Phillis Wheatly Stamp Unveiling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljoQn21Ds-I

Hashtags:

#BlackLibrarianship #BlackBookstores #LibraryHistory

Keywords:
black librarianship in america

history of black librarians

black librarians documentary

are you a librarian documentary

rodney freeman jr librarian

african american library history

diversity in librarianship report

future of libraries and AI

black bookstores history

prose to the people book

katie mitchell black bookstores

black bookstores vs black owned bookstores

banned books and black literature

libraries community building

documenting is resistance