Among their secret inquiries was basically the collection was paid into the loss of the property, as well as how that payment might possibly be placed on almost every other collection services

Brand new part create consistently perform for a few a lot more decades, however, from the later 1950s they had outlived the versatility, and not because it are a good relic out of Jim crow. The fresh part eventually failed to pass away since it are an offending real reminder away from segregation months, neither was their passing for the reason that shortage of explore. From the country’s 16th prominent town, brand new part only seated about road out-of a major highway extension. It absolutely was Houston’s visitors state you to provided the fresh new panel to market the building plus the buyer to tear they off. Mayor Lewis Cutrer’s place of work told librarian Reynolds in the summer from 1959 your Clay Path Extension venture manage begin in December. New expansion of a single out of the downtown area Houston’s main arteries would admission from the website of the collection. This building would have to getting moved otherwise mixed on fall. The fresh panel wanted to sell this building and property, nonetheless were being unsure of of its legal expert to do so. A legal professional on city’s judge department believed that if the building had been don’t put while the a library, it might need certainly to revert into the ownership of your own trustees of Colored Carnegie Library Relationship. Reynolds appeared the metropolis directory and found that just two of the first trustees, W. L. D. Johnson and you may L. H. Spivey, was basically detailed. She plus appeared the action and found no reversion term however, just brand new stipulation the assets is actually “into fool around with and you may advantageous asset of coloured folks of Houston.” Reynolds expected the latest panel to take on the problem out-of how exactly to serve black members once the part closed. (17)

Rats Stewart, manager off extension functions, stated that the worn bookmobile, known as the Traveling Branch getting Negroes, must be changed

A few days following conference, Reynolds implemented up with a page so you can Charles Easterling throughout the city’s legal agencies. She relayed specific one or two dozen inquiries throughout the board’s dialogue away from the newest destiny of your Colored Carnegie Department. The brand new trustees wondered how broadly they might interpret the expression “towards play with and you may advantageous asset of colored somebody.” They wondered, as an instance, if they you certainly will create a new part in other places for usage by whites and you will blacks whilst still being comply with the soul out of a beneficial stipulation authored when the stop of home-based segregation is actually no place when you look at the vision. Nonetheless they questioned the way they would provide equivalent service in order to blacks just like the department designated for their explore is gone. They shown a want to generate several other part inside the a predominantly black community in return for the loss of the fresh Coloured Carnegie Department, but due to the fact financial support to own particularly a job wasn’t on library’s finances, they pondered towards likelihood of delivering extra bookmobile solution or regarding leasing area into collections. In the end, they questioned, “Often death of biggest department having Negroes connect with de-segregation off library?” (18) Half dozen years just after token combination of the main collection, the brand new board know the latest implication regarding closure this new black colored branch. It might not act as an easy way to siphon regarding black colored collection profiles in order to keep them regarding the fresh body’s other buildings.

Thirty day period later on around three panel people fulfilled and you will heard the metropolis attorney’s confirmation there is zero reversionary clause regarding the deed but that the library was required to follow the new “toward explore and you can advantage of the newest colored somebody” covenant . Easterling urged them to query the latest gran and area council to possess complete payment on loss of the building and assets and you can complete authority to utilize that compensation as they noticed complement, in the bounds of your own covenant. The 3 people expose introduced a motion to implement Easterling’s recommendations, and the four participants perhaps not present agreed from the cell. These people were computed to uncover a complete worth of the true property not as much as their expert and to keep control over expending they. (19) Of the August panel participants had began sharing in which predominately black neighborhood they need to situate another part. They provided the new proposed department with other twigs, work with current houses, and you will framework away from a mind business in the an excellent four-year financial support upgrade plan. (20) A bond election getting library extension passed inside the September. In Oct Reynolds stated for the board the availability of $312,100000 for the library bonds and another prospective $550,100 when the library ties had offered. She and reported that the metropolis perform offer the brand new collection $52,335 to pay on Coloured Part. (21)