Carter G. Woodson Library

Phase 1 for the renovation of Carter G. Woodson Library is set to begin in June of this year. The library, located on Chicago’s south side, houses the Midwest’s largest collection of black literature, including the Vivian G. Harsh Collection. (Photo by Chelsea Johnson)
Phase 1 for the renovation of Carter G. Woodson Library is set to begin in June of this year. The library, located on Chicago’s south side, houses the Midwest’s largest collection of black literature, including the Vivian G. Harsh Collection. (Photo by Chelsea Johnson)
Photo By: Chelsa Johnson

thechicagocitizen.com — Carter G. Woodson Library Finally Receiving the Uplift It Deserves

By: Chelsea Johnson

For 41 years, the Carter G. Woodson library has stood on the southeast corner of 95th Street and Halsted and houses the Midwest’s largest collection of black literature, including the Vivian G. Harsh Collection. Yet, despite this rich history and artifacts such as original manuscripts from Black authors and official records dating back to slavery, the library named after the man many credit as being the father of Black History Month saw no plans of restoration.

For nearly 14 years, scaffolding has surrounded the building, growing in size to help keep the building sound until it receives its’ “new skin,” as Melvin Thompson, Executive Director of the Endeleo Institute says. The Endeleo Institute – a project that was born through Trinity Church of God and Christ – began to spearhead a campaign in 2013 to have the City of Chicago and the Chicago Public Libraries to renovate the regional library and restore the facility back into the gem that it is for the Southside neighborhood.

Phase 1 of the renovation, set to begin in June of this year with a $10 million state budget, would only include the exterior of the library and roofing.

This phase, to be completed by June 2017, does not include the issues inside the building such as the heating and cooling problems, plumbing issues and constant flooding in the quaint parking lot directly south of the building. With phase 2 of the renovation, Thompson hopes that the interior issues will be addressed and in a timely matter, quickly following the completion of Phase 1.

Even as plans are finally coming together, there are still on-going conversations as to what contractors are hired for the project. Endeleo is very adamant about making sure that minority contractors are used for the job, bringing jobs to the community in which the library serves. “We will be very upset if the general contractor does not look like us,” Thompson says.

“Right now, we are celebrating that we were able to do this; timing could not be better. We need some victories in our community.”

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

STARR Community Services International, Inc.