Black History Month: The library at Rock Valley College is named after Estelle Black

Rockford Register Star staff
·1 min read

How much do you know about Rockford's Black history? In celebration and recognition of Black History Month, the Rockford Register Star has partnered with the Rockford Public Library's Local History Room to bring our readers a local Black history fact of the day.

Visit rrstar.com or the Rockford Register Star newspaper each day throughout the month of February to read about the people, places and events that played significant roles in shaping the rich fabric of Rockford's Black history.

Nan Morgan Mynatt of Rockford sent in this photo of Estelle Black (seated), who was named Woman of the Year and presented with the Mary McLeod Bethune award by the Rockford Section of the National Council of Negro Women. Mrs. Robert Nolan (left) presented Black with a charm bracelet and Morgan Mynatt (right) gave her roses. The photo originally ran in the Rockford Journal on June 19, 1975.

Estelle Black was born and raised in Rockford, graduating from West High School. She also graduated from Northern Illinois University and received her master's degree in library science from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

She managed Rockford's Montague library branch before working as associate director and assistant executive director for the Rockford Public Library for nearly 20 years.

She served as the first Black president of the Illinois Library Association and a founding member of the Taus Service Club. Black also was active in the Community Civic Club. The library at Rock Valley College is named the Estelle M. Black Library in Black's honor.

Community Civic Club: Shown seated from the left are Helen Pope, Doris Nolan, Josie Mure, Marcella Harris, Dorothy Benton, Ruth Madison, and Lulu Nolan. Standing from the left are Louise Fobbs, Estelle Black, Mozelle Williams, Mary Cox, Carnetta Brown and Lela Brown. Elizabeth Richards, lyn Flanagan and Leondras Brown were not present when the photo was taken.

Want to learn more about Estelle Black? Visit the Rockford Public Library's Local History Room at rockfordpubliclibrary.org/local-history or in person at the Hart Interim Library, 214 N. Church St.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Black History Month: Estelle Black helped found the Taus Service Club