Millie Russell speaking at Douglass-Truth Library renaming, December 5, 1975 (Image: Seattle Public Library: Seattle Room Digital Collections)
Fifty years ago, the Central District book lovers and neighbors made a decision that would forever change the identity of their local library. They voted to shed the name of a city pioneer in favor of two icons of Black liberation. Now, the Douglass-Truth Library is inviting the city to celebrate the 50th anniversary of that historic renaming — a moment when the building finally caught up with the community it served.
While the branch at 23rd Ave and E Yesler Way has been par of the neighborhood since 1914, for its first six decades, it was known as the Henry L. Yesler Memorial Library. It wasn’t until December 5, 1975 following a community-led initiative that the branch was officially rededicated to honor abolitionists Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth.
“The renaming celebration will be a wonderful opportunity to learn about and honor the rich community histories of the Douglass-Truth Branch and its collection,” said Brian Den-Hartog Lindsey, curator of the branch’s African-American Collection. “There will also be opportunities to help us dream about Douglass-Truth’s next 50 years.”
To mark this milestone, the Seattle Public Library is hosting a celebration presented in partnership with the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Delta Upsilon Omega Chapter and the Black Heritage Society of Washington State.
The 1975 ballot (Image: Seattle Public Library: Seattle Room Digital Collections)
The road to the 1975 renaming began in the 1960s. As the Central Area experienced significant demographic shifts, the library’s user base became predominantly Black.
Recognizing that the library needed to reflect this change to remain relevant, SPL says leaders from AKA-DUO—including Roberta Byrd Barr, Ruth Marie Brown, and Dr. Millie Russell—partnered with librarian James Welsh. Their efforts launched the branch’s renowned African American Collection in 1965, which has since grown into one of the largest of its kind on the West Coast.
By 1974, the push for representation moved to the building’s name itself. Russell worked with the Black Friends of the Yesler Library to distribute a ballot to neighborhood residents featuring ten notable African Americans. The community remained split between two giants of history, resulting in a first-place tie between Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth.
The hyphenated library name was born.
In a letter sent to then-Mayor Wesley Uhlman, Russell described the renaming as an effort to “instill a deep oneness and response in our library.”
Today, the anniversary is viewed as validation of that decades-old civic engagement, SPL says.
Present day inside the library (Image: Seattle Public Library: Seattle Room Digital Collections)
“The Douglass-Truth Branch stands as a living testament to the power of history, community, and purpose,” said Saunjah Brantley, President of AKA-DUO. “The change signified solidifying representation for the heart of the community that beats in the walls of this Library and through every book of the collection.”
Stephanie Johnson-Toliver, president of the Black Heritage Society of Washington State, echoed the sentiment, calling the branch a “hub of accessible knowledge” that embodies the Central District’s legacy.
“This action of civic engagement is the history and service that the Black Heritage Society of Washington State recognizes as the power of community,” she said.
Next Saturday’s celebration will feature all-ages activities, including tours of the branch’s history, a presentation on the African American collection, and a performance by the Garfield Jazz Quartet.
For more information on the event and the history of the branch, visit spl.org/DouglassTruth50.
Douglass-Truth 50th Anniversary Renaming Celebration
Saturday, December 13, 2025, 12 – 5 p.m.
2300 E Yesler Way
- Noon to 12:30 p.m.: Douglass-Truth Branch History Tours
- 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m.: Branch History Tour Follow-Up Q&A
- 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.: Creative Engagement Program for all ages
- 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Garfield Jazz Quartet performance
- 4:15 p.m. to 5 p.m.: African American Collection Presentation & Tour
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