In this silent WALB newsfilm clip from Albany, Georgia, in 1962, African American students seek to use the Albany Carnegie Library and are turned away; this is followed by footage of two Albany policemen using the library. An African American woman in sunglasses speaks to a white woman and a white man standing behind a desk in the library, while in the background, a white woman walking by sees the black woman at the desk and walks in the opposite direction. Next, two African American women are seen near a collection of library books; one sits at a table with books in front of her while the other looks at the books on a shelf behind the table; she joins the other woman at the table. An elderly white woman sitting at an adjacent table gathers her things after the second black woman sits down. Next, a cameraman films three African American students leaving the building; he remains inside after they leave. Later, four black students, three female and one male, walk up the steps to the library. One of the female students is wearing a black armband (members of the Albany Movement wore black armbands to protest the July 10 convictions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Reverend Ralph Abernathy for their participation in a December, 1961 march). The students speak to someone through a partially-opened door, then turn around and leave the building. Finally, in another shot inside the library, an officer sitting at a desk appears to transcribe information from an open book; another officer reads in a chair nearby. During the summer of 1962, African American students active in the Albany Movement tested many public facilities for integration, including the library. Rather than integrate the facilities, the Albany City Commission closed the library in 1962. In 1963, at the request of local citizens, the library reopened, but with all patron seating removed.

The Civil Rights Digital Library received support from a National Leadership Grant for Libraries awarded to the University of Georgia by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for digital conversion and description of the WALB News Film collection.

Title provided by cataloger.

1 clip (ca. 30 sec.) : b&w, si. ; 16 mm.

Original found in the WALB newsfilm collection.

Cite as: WALB newsfilm clip of African American students turned away from using the public library in Albany, Georgia, 1962, Albany Movement compilation, WALB News Film collection, Albany Movement Compilation Roll 1 [Tape 1], Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Award Collection, The University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Ga., as presented in the Digital Library of Georgia.

Forms part of: Civil Rights Digital Library.