Findlay's Black Heritage Library and Cultural Center
Tucked away on Harmon Street in Findlay is a treasure of resources for anyone who is interested in Black history and culture. It is open from 4 to 6 PM weekdays except Wednesday. The Library often takes programs and exhibits on the road to schools and other organizations. In 2002 The Black Heritage Library and Cultural Center received the Governor’s Award for Arts Outreach, and Janet Voinovich read to children visiting the library.
It houses a collection of more than 3,500 books, videos, music, and references. Its soaring walls are vibrant with posters and photographs of the jazz age and outstanding figures of the Harlem Renaissance like Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and W.E.B. Dubois. Paintings produced by many northwest Ohio artists are displayed, including works by Will Clay, Ashley Brian, Ruth Balcomb and Odes Roberts. A large painting done as a study by Phoebe Stone for her illustrations for the children’s book, ‘’What Night Do the Angels Wander’’ is prominently displayed. Interesting masks stare down from the walls. Artwork by children and many children’s books are displayed.
A display features one of Findlay’s first black entrepreneurs, Albert R. Cooper. He was born in Berlin Ohio in 1863 and moved to Findlay during its boom years in gas and oil. At first he opened a shoe repair shop. Then through sound business practices and ingenuity, he built a manufacturing firm which made shoe products including an ’’electric shoe’’ which he patented in 1907. The shoes had a zinc plate in the heels and batteries which, according to advertisements, stimulated circulation, and assisted nature in building up broken down tissues. His shoes became quite famous and were worn by John D. Rockefeller and some of his associates in Cleveland
A second room features the Black Wings Exhibit. This tells the story of black airmen from the first squadron of black aviators, the Tuskegee airmen of World War II. Their proud heritage is that they never lost a plane.
Another honored airman is General Chappie James, the first black four star general. He was a combat veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He flew 78 combat missions in his McDonald Douglas F-4c Phantom. He rose in rank to become commander in chief of the North American Air Defense Command. He died in 1978.
The Black Heritage Library and Cultural Center had the honor of hosting Major General Charles F. Bolden, retired Major General of the Marine Corps. He spoke at the annual awards banquet last year and also spoke to classes gathered from all the middle schools in the county in Central Auditorium.
He graduated from the Naval Academy and became a naval aviator in May 1970. Between June 1972 and June 1973 he flew more than 100 combat missions into North and South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in an A-6A Intruder.
After service overseas he graduated from the U. S. Naval Test Pilot School and served as an ordinance test pilot in the A-6E, EA-6B and A-7C/E aircraft. Major General Boldon has logged more than 6,000 hours of flying time in more than thirty models of fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
In 1980 he qualified as an astronaut space shuttle pilot by NASA and flew four missions in space. During his first mission on board the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1986, he participated in the successful deployment of the SATCOM KU satellite.
As pilot of the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1990, Major General Bolden and crew successfully deployed the Hubble Space Telescope while orbiting the earth at a record setting altitude of 400 miles.
On his third mission in 1992, he commanded the Space Shuttle Atlantis on the first Space Laboratory mission. During this nine-day mission, the crew operated the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science, a system composed of twelve experiments. These succeeded in making a vast amount of detailed measurements of the Earth’s atmospheric chemical and physical properties.
On his fourth and final space flight, he was commander of STS-60, the 1994 flight of a six-member crew on the Space Shuttle Discovery. This landmark eight-day mission was the first joint U. S. Russian Space Shuttle Mission. When Major General Bolden left the space program he had logged more than 680 hours in space.
After these missions he served as Deputy Commandant of the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and as Deputy Commanding General, I MEF, Marine Forces Pacific. From February to June 1998 he served as Commanding General I MEF (FWD) in support of Operation Desert Thunder in Kuwait.
In August, 2002 he relinquished command of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing to Major General James F. Amos and retired from his 34 years of service in the Marine Corps. Major General Bolden held his granddaughter, Mikaley during much of the ceremony. ‘’ I wanted to spend more time with her than I was able to with my own children,’’ said the general with tears in his eyes
A part of the Black Wings exhibit is now traveling with a Smithsonian Exhibit.
The Library also has a computer for visitors to research special projects and many children’s books. Volunteers staff and fund the Black Heritage Library and Cultural Center. It is a 501c3 corporation. Nina Parker is Executive Director and Founder of this busy place
On February 19th at 6 p.m., Lt. Governor of Ohio, Jeanette Bradley will be the guest speaker. This is free and open to the public.
On February 21st from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Instructor Sassy Sarah Evans from Chicago will teach how to perform an African Dance and tie beautiful head wraps.
On February 26th 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Soul Food Dinners, by gourmet chef, Stella Sherard and friends, will be served and also be available for pick-up. The cost is $8.50 per dinner.
On February 29th from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., REACH Language Arts students and teacher Cynthia Habeggar from Glenwood Middle School will perform dance, songs, special readings and character dramatizations. A free-will offering will be accepted.
The Black Heritage Library and Cultural Center is located at 817 Harmon Street off Crystal Avenue in Findlay. Phone (419) 423-4954.
– Mary