Week 25 at The Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum

Last week at MCLM we had our first annual Family Fun Day! This event provided an opportunity for parents and children to enjoy all that MCLM has to offer. There were many activities for the children to partake in; The California African American Genealogical Society was there helping older children and adults create a family tree. The younger children enjoyed the Obama and Marie Dickerson Coker coloring pages. At two separate craft tables the children made aviation goggles (in celebration of the Tuskegee Airmen) and African shakers (similar to those used in Kenya).

Some amazing art pieces that were housed at MCLM went out on loan to The Museum of African American Art for a one week exhibit. This exhibition loan contained pieces from Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden and Richard Yarde.

Last week, MCLM also welcomed representatives from ArtStor. ArtStor is a digital library that gathers images from heritage institutions across the nation. Apparently, the number one request from their users is more African American images. I have yet to decide what items will be digitized but it will likely be a selection of magazines, sheet music and photographs.


The Library by Jacob Lawrence

Week 24 at MCLM

Last week was marked by the First Annual Volunteer Outing! A group of about ten volunteers, including myself and Cara, visited The California African American Museum. We were guided thorough the exhibit, The African Diaspora in the Art of Miguel Covarrubias: Driven by color, shaped by Cultures, the items displayed were enthralling! Covarrubias, although Mexican, depicted many African Americans and Africans in his numerous art works, books, caricatures and collages. The most dynamic piece was the 12 x 24 foot collage that depicted the different cultures of the world. The medium used for the piece was lacquer on canvas, but Covarrubias manipulated the lacquer it to make it appear as if it was colored pencil.

Last week, I also discovered an amazing piece of ephemera in the "secret room." It is the face of a mammy archetype, measuring 1.5 x 1ft. It is possibly apart of a float or statue judging from the makeup of the face, some sort of papier-mâché. In this same room I happened across a framed image of a slave sitting in front of her cabin. Both of these items I selected to be digitally photographed and included on the new MCLM website, which is to be launched soon!

Week 24 at The Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum

The Southern California Edison Day of Service was a success! About 40 people came ranging in ages from 15-65. The volunteers helped inventory posters, a record collection, newspapers, the Marilyn White Collection, blue prints, and the Dianne Watson collection. The volunteers also pulled Library of Congress numbers for a recent accession to MCLM, The Khalid Kwame (Buchanan) Collection.

With this many volunteers the blue prints and posters are now completely inventoried! The work that would have taken months to complete was essentially done in 4 hours, this is monumental and exciting!

Alyss Hardin
I.M.L.S. fellow, M.L.I.S.
The Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum

Week 22 at The Mayme A. Clayton Library And Museum

Last week, MCLM welcomed the South Los Angeles Chapter Jack & Jill. There were about twenty children, ranging in ages from 6-17. The children partook in three separate activities. First, the Jack & Jill members learned about the methods of nonviolent protesting. The children then sang songs of freedom and made protest signs. The event was a huge success and MCLM looks forward to again welcoming the South LA chapter as well as other chapters of Jack & Jill.

There were a few new volunteers that began this week as well. One volunteer began an inventory of machine readable items. The other new volunteer completed an inventory of the Sarah Agnew Sheet Music Collection.

Alyss Hardin
IMLS Fellow, M.L.I.S.
The Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum