Miriam Matthews

Miriam Matthews (August 6, 1905 – June 23, 2003) was an American librarian, advocate for intellectual freedom, historian, and art collector. In 1927, Matthews became the first credentialed African American librarian to be hired by the Los Angeles Public Library. Early life Matthews was born in Pensacola, Florida in 1905, the second of three children born to Fannie Elijah and Reuben Hearde Matthews. Her family moved to Los Angeles when she was two years old. Her father, who was educated at Tuskegee University, established a painting business with his wife as his partner. Matthews graduated high school in 1922, and spent two years at the University of California, Southern Branch (Los Angeles). She subsequently transferred to Berkeley, where she earned her bachelor's degree in 1926 and a certificate in librarianship in 1927. Library career