Pittsburgh, PA  –  Thursday, March 14, 2024  – 

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) is proud to announce the establishment of the Vivian Ann Davidson Hewitt Initiative, named in honor of the first Black librarian at CLP and designed to honor her legacy and grow the careers of librarians of color in our region. Dr. Hewitt worked as a librarian for CLP in the 1940s, serving Pittsburgh’s Hill District and Homewood communities. She passed away on May 29, 2022 at the age of 102.

The initiative will include a lecture series which will bring high caliber speakers of color from across the library industry to our area, a community-based artist in residency series program to create additional justice-centered art experiences in neighborhoods, as well as the creation of a new position: Curator of Black Literature and Programs.

The inaugural Hewitt lecture, which is slated for April 9th will feature Dr. Carla Hayden, the 14th Librarian of Congress.

“Women of color have been trailblazers throughout the modern history of our profession of librarianship,” said Andrew Medlar, President and Director of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. “In Pittsburgh, Vivian Ann Davidson Hewitt was that trailblazer. She was an exceptional educator, teacher, library pioneer, and citizen for many decades, and it is an honor to celebrate her life with this initiative, which embodies knowledge and education. We are honored that her legacy remains a part of our Library’s enduring history.”

“I am thankful for the opportunity to represent the Hewitt Family as Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh begins this initiative in honor of my late grandmother Vivian Ann Davidson Hewitt,” said Marivien Hewitt Laschon. “Vivian proudly credited her time at the Library’s Wylie Avenue branch as the catalyst for her career and future accomplishments. I know she would be thrilled that students today will be able to connect with a prominent role model in their field of study and would hope that this will inspire the next generation of librarians, educators and members of the community.”

 

Vivian Ann Davidson Hewitt Inaugural Lecture, featuring Dr. Carla Hayden

Tuesday, April 9 | 5 pm
CLP – Main (Oakland), Lecture Hall
4400 Forbes Avenue, 15213

Held during National Library Week (April 7 – 13, 2024) the inaugural Vivian Ann Davidson Hewitt Lecture will be presented by Dr. Carla Hayden, the 14th Librarian of Congress. Nominated to the position by President Barack Obama in 2016, Dr. Hayden, a former assistant professor for Library and Information Science at the University of Pittsburgh, is the first woman and first African American to lead the national library. She will be joining us virtually. All attendees are invited to attend a reception following the lecture featuring hands-on activities and opportunities to learn about CLP’s career exploration resources.

“The School of Computing and Information is honored to co-sponsor the inaugural Hewitt Lecture with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh because Vivian Hewitt stands as a pioneer in the history of both our institutions,” said Mary Kay Biagini, Chair, Department of Information Culture and Data Stewardship, School of Computing and Information, University of Pittsburgh. “In 1944, she was the second person of color to earn a master’s degree from our program, and she was hired as the first person of color by the Carnegie Library soon afterward. Her legacy continues to this day, and it is only fitting that Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden present the inaugural lecture as she was mentored by Vivian Hewitt and served as a faculty member at our School.”

Funded in part through generous support from the Jack Buncher Foundation, the Hewitt Lecture is presented in partnership with the Allegheny County Library Association and the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Computing and Information. Registration to the lecture is encouraged. Additional information can be found at carnegielibrary.org.

 

Hewitt Artist in Residency Series

CLP’s Artist in Residence program for adults is a three month paid residency which begins mid-March and runs through the beginning of June. The goal of this collaboration is to develop a community-based artist in residence series that will help the Library build collaboration with diverse artists and create additional justice-centered art experiences in library branches.

“In addition to her pioneering work as a librarian, Dr. Hewitt loved, collected and generously shared art and supported Black artists and collectors,” said Deborah Rogers, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Director of  Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility. “Amassed over the course of 50 years, the John & Vivian Hewitt Collection of African-American Art, is an impressive body for work that is now permanently housed at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is our distinct pleasure to celebrate and further connect artists and our neighbors through the avenue of community engagement in our branches.”

Four artists, all first-place winners of the recent Envisioning a Just Pittsburgh Call for Art competition, will make up the initial cohort with residencies at the following libraries: CLP – Main (Oakland), CLP – East Liberty, CLP – Homewood and CLP – Hill District.

CLP – Main (Oakland): Cerrina Hagood
Cerrina Hagood is a dedicated artist committed to amplifying diverse voices and perspectives in the realm of filmmaking. With a passion for storytelling, Cerrina delves into narratives that give voice to marginalized communities. Cerrina’s work is characterized by a fearless exploration of various digital mediums, pushing the boundaries of traditional filmmaking.

CLP – Homewood: Emily Carlson
Emily Carlson is an adjunct poetry teacher at Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 and directs Art in the Garden, an LGBTQ+ led, joy-centered arts and ecology program that addresses the impacts of childhood adversity and trauma. Their award winning poetry collections include Why Misread a Cloud, and I Have a Teacher. Emily’s poems have appeared in Aufgabe, Bloom, Denver Quarterly, Fence, jubilat, and other journals.

CLP – East Liberty: Mita Ghosal
Mita Ghosal’s choreography utilizes tools from Contemporary Dance, Yoga, Theatre and familial and ancestral histories to guide her in artistic craft. Her work has been presented in New York, Los Angeles and her hometown of Pittsburgh through numerous professional venues. Mita studied Theatre at Penn State University, holds an MFA in Choreography from UCLA, and is a Certified Movement Analyst through the Laban/Bartenieff Institute.

CLP – Hill District: Lee Price
Lee Price is a visual artist who takes inspiration from American cartoons, anime and the raw energy of graffiti street art. These influences add an urban, dynamic edge to the artworks, making each piece a statement in the intersection of culture and creativity. Lee has been formally trained in the traditional art forms of drawing, painting, sculpture, print making and ceramics at California University of PA (Penn West).

About Vivian Ann Davidson Hewitt

Born February 17, 1920, in New Castle, PA, Dr. Hewitt loved books and libraries from a young age, having a library card as soon as she could print her name. She graduated from Geneva College in 1943 and then attended Carnegie Library School at Carnegie Institute of Technology, now known as Carnegie Mellon University, earning her Bachelor of Science Degree in Library Science in 1944. Dr. Hewitt is recognized by both Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh as an alumna. Upon graduation, Dr. Hewitt, who was an intern at CLP’s then Wylie Avenue Branch, was employed as a librarian by Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in 1944, serving in the Hill District, before moving to the Homewood Branch in 1947.

After leaving her position at CLP in 1949, she moved to Atlanta where she worked at Clark Atlanta University and where she met her husband, John H. Hewitt, a professor at Morehouse College. She went on to serve as librarian for The Rockefeller Foundation and then for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. In 1978, Dr. Hewitt became the first Black president of the Special Libraries Association, a global nonprofit.

Dr. Hewitt received a number of awards during her career. She was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Citation from the University of Pittsburgh-Carnegie Library School Alumni Association, the Merit Award and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Carnegie Mellon University, and the L.H.D. (Honorary Doctorate) from Geneva College. In addition to being recognized by her alma maters, she was also a recipient of the American Library Association (ALA) Black Caucus Award for Distinguished Service to Librarianship, and in 1984 was inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame. In 1979, Dr. Hewitt was awarded Pittsburgh’s First Blacks in Business and Professions Award. In 2016, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain bestowed the title of Dame upon Dr. Hewitt for her work in the service of humanity.

Her autobiography, The One and Only: Vivian Ann Davidson Hewitt is available in the Library’s collection. A book describing her art collection, Instill & Inspire: The John & Vivian Hewitt collection of African-American Art, also is available.

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