Librarians for the Study of the African-American Experience: A Content Analysis of Position Announcements, 1970–2019

Abstract

Every isolated group or race must have its “preservers;” those who keep alive their rich heritage. Today your role is vital to the salvation of black people and perhaps all people. Our society appears to be at the crossroads. Social problems, that have direct bearing on the destiny of black people are increasing. Problems growing out of poverty, population explosion, minor-ity discrimination and racial unrest ignited by the uncertainty of action by governmental officials are the everyday syndrome of American life.1 — Norman W. Walton, in his paper “Black Librarians, Archivists and Black Collections,” presented at the Institute for Training Librarians for Special Black Collections and Archives, April 1973. To document the change over time in African-American/Africana/Black Studies (AABS) librarianship in the United States, this study analyzed 71 position announcements published in physical and digital sources beginning in 1970 through 2019.2 Using content analysis, the author found that most AABS librarians should expect to have an MLIS and work in academic settings where they develop collections and provide reference services. This study hopes to fill a gap in the current research by exploring how these positions, the job market, and librarianship in this particular field have evolved. Administrators assessing staffing needs, faculty seeking collaborative partners, students interested in AABS librarianship, and anyone curious about the evolution of library work will find this study useful.