Four Indianapolis Public Library Employees Awarded Lillian Childress Hall Scholarship in Honor of State's First Black Librarian
Four Indianapolis Public Library employees have been awarded the newly launched Lillian Childress Hall Scholarship, designed to support the educational advancement of Library staff members from underrepresented backgrounds. The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation, the Library’s not-for-profit philanthropic partner, established this scholarship through the generous gifts and support of community donors.
Scholarship recipients are:
This scholarship provides $1,500 annually to help cover the costs of Master of Library Science (MLS) or Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program expenses. In addition, recipients enrolled at Indiana University (IU) Indianapolis will receive an extra $500 in tuition remission each semester from the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, provided they take at least two MLS or MLIS classes.
“I am filled with an immense amount of gratitude at this moment,” said scholarship recipient Khaila King. “I have spent the bulk of my life seeking higher purpose and fulfillment. I feel that I have truly found my calling in pursuing librarianship. Receiving this award brings a great amount of joy and honor to me and to those who have walked this life before me so that I can get here, such as the great Lillian Childress Hall. I can only pray that receiving this award gives hope to other Black American women dedicating their lives to providing an unwavering amount of support and stewardship to underserved communities.”
Tisha Galarce, chief talent and development officer, expressed her gratitude that the Library was able to award a scholarship to every employee who applied.
“We received four excellent applications, and the Library initially intended to award the scholarship to one recipient,” said Tisha Galarce, chief talent and development officer. “Thanks to the generous outpouring of community support we were able to raise funds to gift this annual scholarship to all four of our applicants. We aim to support professional growth within our ranks while recognizing the significant contributions our recipients make to the Library and the broader community. Through this scholarship, The Indianapolis Public Library not only recognizes the achievements of its staff but also shines a light on an important chapter in Indiana's library history."
The Lillian Childress Hall Scholarship honors Indiana’s first Black librarian, Lillian Childress Hall, a trailblazer for accessible and inclusive library services. Beginning her career in 1915 at the segregated Cherry Street Branch in Evansville, Hall brought community outreach to the forefront, organizing events and providing resources for local children.
In 1920, Hall moved to Indianapolis, where she faced a different set of challenges. Unlike Evansville, the public libraries in Indianapolis were integrated, but racial segregation and Ku Klux Klan activity were still rampant in Indiana. She managed the Paul Laurence Dunbar Branch, the city’s first library in a predominantly Black neighborhood, and later led the library at Crispus Attucks High School for 29 years. Hall’s commitment to expanding collections by and about African Americans earned her national recognition and left a lasting legacy in library service and literacy advocacy. Lillian Childress Hall’s legacy continues to inspire The Indianapolis Public Library today. Her work laid a foundation for future generations and highlighted the importance of accessible, inclusive library services.
“We are proud to support a new generation of library professionals who embody the same dedication and vision that Lillian Childress Hall exemplified,” said Gregory A. Hill, CEO of The Indianapolis Public Library. “Diverse perspectives enrich the services we offer—from the books we select to the programs we create for our community. I look forward to seeing the impact our scholarship recipients will have on our community and beyond.”
Donations to The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation’s Lillian Childress Hall Scholarship may be made by clicking here.