Effie Lee Morris, Advocate of Library Services to Children, Dies at 88
By Rocco Staino -- School Library Journal, 11/17/2009
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Effie Lee Morris dies at 88. |
Morris began her career as a children’s librarian in 1946 at the Cleveland Public Library, where she established the first Negro History Week Celebration. Later in 1955, she moved to New York to work with the New York Library for the Blind. While there, she promoted library services for blind children and served as president of the National Braille Association.
She became the first children’s service coordinator for the San Francisco Public Library in 1963 and created its Children’s Historical and Research Collection. After her retirement in 1977, the collection was named in her honor and it continues to host an annual lecture that draws such notable authors as Nikki Grimes, Milly Lee, Pamela Munoz, and Tomie dePaola.
Born on April 20, 1921 in Richmond, VA, to Erma Lee Caskie Morris and William Hamilton Morris, Morris was the eldest of two daughters and attended schools in Cleveland, OH, including John Adams High School, and received her BA and MLS from Case Western University. As a student, she worked to desegregate public bathhouses and pools in the city.
Morris was a recipient of the Grolier Award, the WNBA National Book Award for “Extraordinary Contribution to the World of Books,” the Black Caucus of the American Library Association Trailblazer Award, and the University of San Francisco Reading the World Award. For her community contributions, Morris also received the 2000 Silver Spur Award for “Dedication to Enhancing the Quality of Life and Economic Vitality of San Francisco” from the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association
Active in the American Library Association since 1949, Morris was a familiar face at its conferences. In addition to her term as president of PLA, she served on council, was active in the Black Caucus, and was an early supporter and chair (1981-84) of the Coretta Scott King Award. In 2008 she received the association’s highest award of Honorary Member.
Morris attended the 2009 ALA annual conference in Chicago last July, where she went to meetings and socialized with friends and colleagues.
