Journal of Educational Media and Library Sciences


Vol. 36 No. 3 , Pages 305 - 318 , 1999

The Tedious But Rewarding Professional Journey of a Negro, Colored, Black and African American Male Librarian

Nicholas Edward GAYMON

Abstract

This article attempts to capture the professional experiences of this African American Librarian. Some experiences were pleasant and some experiences were not so pleasant. But, all experiences contributed to an upward mobility in my profession.

The challenges encountered never created any doubts to my aspiration. Giving up my profession was never an option. Too many people needed my help. Students who were in most cases first generation college students needed some help in their attempt to obtain one of the most powerful, resources — knowledge. Unfortunately, there is no objective evaluation tool to determine one’s effectiveness in his profession. But one could observe his products reflected in the students who are having successful careers.

The socio-economic conditions and racial unrest demanded an urge to overcome the frustration imposed by the society. My college experiences demanded a level of excellence that would result in a leadership role that transcends racial barriers. The journey was tedious, but rewarding because of my faith and trust in God, loving and caring attitude, determination, and perseverance.

Keywords: African American; African American mentors; African American career; African American male librarian

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