Amongst their key questions was the way the library would-be compensated into death of the house or property, and how one to compensation is placed on other library services
This new branch carry out consistently operate for many way more ages, but of the later 1950s they got outlived its usefulness, and not just whilst is actually a great relic away from Jim crow. The new department at some point don’t pass away whilst was an unpleasant real reminder regarding segregation weeks, nor was their demise caused by decreased use. Throughout the state’s 16th biggest urban area, the fresh part only seated in the highway away from a primary roadway expansion. It absolutely was Houston’s subscribers state that added this new panel to sell this building additionally the customer to-tear they off. Mayor Lewis Cutrer’s office told librarian Reynolds during the summer away from 1959 that Clay Opportunity Expansion project manage begin in December. New expansion of one from downtown Houston’s fundamental arteries perform admission through the website of the collection. The building would have to end up being moved or demolished throughout the slip. The brand new panel wished to offer the structure and assets, nevertheless they was unsure of the judge expert to achieve this. Legal counsel regarding city’s legal department considered that in the event your strengthening was no further utilized once the a collection, it would have to revert towards the possession of your trustees of Colored Carnegie Collection Organization. Reynolds seemed the town directory and discovered you to definitely only a couple of the initial trustees, W. L. D. Johnson and L. H. Spivey, was in fact listed. She in addition to checked this new action and discovered zero reversion clause however, only new stipulation the possessions are “toward play with and you can benefit of coloured individuals of Houston.” Reynolds expected the latest board to adopt the challenge of how exactly to suffice black readers since the branch closed. (17)
Mice Stewart, supervisor regarding extension attributes, reported that this new worn bookmobile, referred to as Travelling Part having Negroes, would have to be changed
A short time following the conference, Reynolds accompanied with a letter to Charles Easterling on the city’s judge agency. more tips here She relayed particular two dozen questions on the board’s dialogue out of the fresh fate of the Colored Carnegie Department. The fresh trustees wondered exactly how broadly they might understand the word “for the explore and you may benefit of colored some one.” They questioned, as an instance, if they you certainly will build an alternative branch someplace else for usage of the whites and you may blacks and still follow new heart of a good stipulation written in the event that stop off domestic segregation are nowhere for the vision. They also expected the way they would provide equivalent provider to help you blacks since part appointed for their use are moved. They conveyed a want to build several other branch within the a mainly black colored people in exchange for losing new Colored Carnegie Part, but because the investment to have for example a task wasn’t about library’s finances, they questioned concerning likelihood of bringing additional bookmobile solution or off renting area for the series. Fundamentally, they requested, “Usually loss of big department getting Negroes connect with de-segregation off library?” (18) Half dozen years after token combination of one’s central library, the latest board know the implication of closure the fresh black branch. It might don’t serve as ways to siphon regarding black library pages in an attempt to have them regarding brand new system’s most other structures.
30 days after around three board professionals found and you will heard the city attorney’s verification there try zero reversionary condition on the deed however, your library was required to conform to the fresh new “to your explore and you will advantageous asset of the fresh new coloured anybody” covenant. Easterling advised them to ask the gran and you may area council to own complete compensation towards loss of the structure and you can assets and you can complete authority to utilize one to payment because they saw match, in bounds of one’s covenant. The 3 participants expose passed a motion to apply Easterling’s guidance, therefore the four participants perhaps not establish consented by the cellphone. These people were determined to locate an entire property value the real property less than their power also to keep control over expending they. (19) Because of the August panel professionals had started sharing in which mainly black colored community they should situate an alternate branch. They provided the new proposed part with other branches, work at present structures, and build away from a memory space business inside the a beneficial four-season investment upgrade package. (20) A bond election to possess library expansion introduced in the September. From inside the Oct Reynolds claimed into board the available choices of $312,000 in collection ties and something possible $550,000 when all library bonds got marketed. She along with stated that the metropolis perform grant the fresh new library $52,335 to compensate on the Colored Department. (21)