Chris Barbuschak

Desegregation in Northern Virginia Libraries Review posted May 3, 2025. History Press, 2023. 206 pages. Review written April 30, 2025, from my own copy, signed by the authors. Starred Review First, I owe my friends, authors Chris and Suzanne, a big apology. I attended their book launch in 2023 and got a signed copy - but I didn't get it read until 2025.

There is a large archival silence in our own official records around segregation and other race-based policies at the Library of Virginia. This could be because the practice was so ingrained in the culture that no one saw a need to explicitly write it down, as common knowledge needs no citation. However, it is also possible that the gap was more deliberate. Over the years, historians and researchers have focused on filling these gaps.

By Chris Barbuschak and Suzanne S. LaPierre, Foreword by Dr. Sujatha Hampton $23.99 Overview Details Author More About This Book Overview During the Jim Crow era, many public libraries were segregated. The public library plays a fundamental role in communities by providing free educational resources, boosting literacy and knowledge and serving as a place of refuge. Despite this, many were inaccessible to Black residents, continuing to resist integration even after the landmark case Brown v.