A narrative of Augusta Baker's early life and her work as a children's librarian within the New York Public Library system

"Augusta Braxston Baker (1911-1998) was a Black American librarian whose tenure within the New York Public Library (NYPL) system lasted for more than thirty years. This study seeks to shed light upon Baker’s educational trajectory, her career as a children’s librarian at NYPL's 135th Street Branch, her work with Black children’s literature, and her enduring legacy. Baker's narrative is constructed through the use of primary source materials, secondary source materials, and oral history interviews. The research questions which guide this study include: 1) How did Baker use what Yosso described as ""community cultural wealth"" throughout her educational trajectory and time within the NYPL system? 2) Why was Baker’s bibliography on Black children’s books significant? and 3) What is her lasting legacy? This study uses historical research to elucidate how Baker successfully navigated within the predominantly White world of librarianship and established criteria for identifying non-stereotypical children’s literature about Blacks and Black experiences."

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Policy Studies

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2016

Author dc:creator

• Carter, Regina Sierra

Contributors dc:contributor

• Anderson, James D.
• Dyson, Anne H.
• Harris, Violet J.
• Pak, Yoon K.

• Black children's literature
• Black librarianship
• Children's literature
• Education
• History
• Library and information science

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2016 Regina Sierra Carter

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/90760

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/90760