Effie Lee Morris
Effie Lee Morris (April 20, 1921 – November 9, 2009) was an African American children's librarian, educator, and activist, best known for her pioneering public library services for minorities and the visually-impaired. Morris developed Cleveland Public Library's first Negro History Week and was New York Public Library's first children's specialist for visually-impaired patrons. She was the first coordinator of children's services at San Francisco Public Library, where she was also the first African American to hold an administrative position.
Effie Lee Morris | |
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Morris in 1970 | |
| Born | April 20, 1921 Richmond, Virginia, US |
| Died | November 9, 2009 (aged 88) San Francisco, California, US |
| Education | University of Chicago Western Reserve University (BA, BLS, MLIS) |
| Occupation | Children's librarian |
| Known for | Library services and advocacy for children, minorities, and the visually impaired |
An active leader in advocacy organizations, Morris served as president of the Public Library Association—the first woman and first African American person to do so. Morris also served on the committees for prominent children's book awards, including the Caldecott Medal, Newbery Medal, and Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal (now known as the Children's Literature Legacy Award). Morris wrote the original selection criteria for the Coretta Scott King Award to become an official award for the American Library Association (ALA) in 1982.
Morris received many distinguished awards during her lifetime and posthumously. The ALA conferred their highest honor, honorary membership, on Morris in 2008. In 2017, she was inducted posthumously into the California Library Association's Hall of Fame.