| Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library | |
|---|---|
| The Library is located at 2401 Welton Street in the Five Points Neighborhood in Denver, Colorado. | |
| Country | United States |
| Type | Public library and research library |
| Established | 2003 |
| Location | Denver, Colorado |
| Branch of | Denver Public Library |
| Collection | |
| Items collected | All formats |
| Access and use | |
| Population served | The library serves the residents of the Five Points Neighborhood |
| Website | http://aarl.denverlibrary.org/index.html |
| Phone number | (720) 865-2401 |
The Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library is a branch of the Denver Public Library that serves Denver's Five Points neighborhood and is also a research library with collections focusing on the history of African Americans in Denver and the American West. The library was the brainchild of Denver, Colorado's first African American mayor, Wellington Webb, and his wife Wilma Webb, who felt that the history of African-Americans in Denver and the American west was underrepresented. The library was first envisioned in 1999 and designated the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library in honor of Omar Blair, the first black president of the Denver school board, and Elvin Caldwell, the first black City Council member. Ground breaking began in early 2002.
According to one of the library's promotional brochures,[1] the library contains three floors, each with a different function. The first level functions as a full-service branch library of the Denver Public Library. The second level houses archives and other research collections. The third level functions as a museum and houses exhibits about the history of African Americans in Denver and in the Western United States. The exhibits include the desk Wellington Webb used during his term as Denver's mayor.