Doll helps bring American history to life

The North Greenwood Library uses fiction to illustrate African-American life during the Civil War and give meaning to Juneteenth.

By ADRIENNE P. SAMUELS
© St. Petersburg Times
published June 20, 2002

CLEARWATER -- The crowd in the library sat enthralled as a storyteller recited the tale of Addy, an African-American girl growing up near the end of the Civil War.

Part of the historical fiction story includes bits on slavery, abolition, education and Juneteenth -- June 19, 1865, the day when the last enslaved African-Americans in the former Confederacy were set free nearly two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

It was all part of an informal Juneteenth history program put on by the North Greenwood Library, 1250 Palmetto St., to commemorate the day now known as African-American Independence Day.

The program was a triumph, said Lorraine Mayfield-Brown, a sociologist who became a storyteller for the day.

"Juneteenth is a really wonderful time to reflect on these things," Mayfield-Brown said after explaining to children how Addy traveled the Underground Railroad.

Mayfield-Brown brought in the character and doll from the American Girls book series to illustrate to children and adults what life was like for black people in the 1860s. She described how one of Addy's friends stuffed paper in her shoes just to keep her toes warm.

Attendees of various ethnicities and ages took something away from the lesson before diving into the "fun" part of the day: making necklaces.

"This was a great thing to have," said Yvonne Morey of Clearwater, who brought 5-year-old Meghan to learn about Addy's life. "I knew nothing about (Juneteenth). Meghan needs to know all the history."

Florence Keene, also of Clearwater, agreed.

Keene and her grandson, 4-year-old Malone Rutledge, hugged each other while Mayfield-Brown showed off one of the books featuring Addy and passed around cowrie shells and sweet-grass baskets. When it came time for questions, Keene contributed just as much Malone.

"I didn't know about Juneteenth until about a year ago," Keene said. "I wasn't expecting this story part, but it was really good."

The North Greenwood library houses Clearwater's African-American Collection, which consists of books, audiotapes and videotapes. There are plans to expand the collection with a $25,000 grant after moving into a larger library under construction just two blocks away.

Branch manager Marlene Mitchell was surprised to learn her library was one of a handful of entities holding a commemorative event. Mitchell's branch has a display board up near the library entrance and since Monday has been busy showing people the Juneteenth book collection.

"On Monday a gentleman came in here mad that he didn't know about" Juneteenth, Mitchell said. "He checked out some books. We had a couple other people stop in about it, too. This just makes the job worthwhile."

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