Lillian Sunshine Haydon Childress Hall

Lillian Sunshine Haydon Childress Hall (1889-1958)

A native of Louisville, Mrs. Hall is the first Black known to have received a formal Library Science education in Indiana, receiving her certificate in 1915. Her first job as a librarian was in Evansville (1915-1921) before becoming the first branch manager at Indianapolis Public Library’s Paul Dunbar Branch (1921-1927) and the head librarian at the Crispus Attucks Branch from 1927-1956.

She also served as president of the local Black Branch of the YWCA, the Phyllis Wheatley Branch. Her son, William Childress, Jr. (1911-1993) served one term in the Kentucky House of Representatives in the 1990s.