ALA Black Caucus

Illustration of an orange and black upraised fist created out of books with black text around it and a black outer edge

The Black Caucus of the American Library Association works to promote and improve library services in African American communities and provides leadership and recruitment for the professional development of African American librarians. In 1969, E.J. Josey was appointed to the ALA Nominating Committee. In 1971, it was decided that the ALA was not serving the needs of black librarians and library professionals; a Black Caucus was formed to address these issues. Josey was elected chairman of the Caucus; the first two goals of the Caucus was to submit a formal statement of concern to the ALA and a resolution to the ALA that would censure libraries that provided services to private segregated schools that were formed to avoid integration.