Featured photo: Gloria Coles, provided by and copyrighted by the Flint Public Library
Some of those who have been advocating for the name Gloria Coles to be added to the Flint Public Library’s name have said they don’t understand why they have to fight for this change, but board members at a recent meeting said there is not fight. Still the addition to the name has not yet taken place.
The Library Board gave attendees to the recent FDL Board Regular meeting a packet of information which contained rules, as well as a summary of what had happened at a previous board meeting. Some of the attendees said what they had said had been misconstrued. For example, in the paperwork it said they were asking the name of the library be “changed,” yet they said they simply wanted the name Gloria Coles added to the Flint Public Library. Therefore, the minutes from the last meeting were rescinded. In addition, board members said they misunderstood that advocates wanted the name of the Flint Public Library building changed, while community members say they want the name added to the name of the library itself.
Norman Bryant said it was important to not just add Gloria Coles name to the name of the building, but to the library itself. He noted something could always happen to the building or the library could be moved.
“Some of these young people say they don’t know who Gloria Coles is,” but I know who Gloria Coles is,” said Bryant.
Bryant said he loved his library and he couldn’t see why the residents of Flint had to fight for adding the name Gloria Coles in front of the Flint Public Library.
Bryant is in his 80s and has a wealth of knowledge about local Black history. He was president of the Flint Board of Education in 1996 and 1997.
“Gloria Coles was on my executive board and the Flint Public Schools was over the Flint Public Library,” he said. “They were over the cultural center and WFBE radio station. We organized the (Greater Flint) Hall of Fame and we were housed in Berston Fieldhouse. We had a really small room. So, I was talking to Gloria and I said: ‘We ran out of room at Berston’. She said: ‘Why don’t you come to the library and hang those plaques in the basement?’ She saved the Hall of Fame! We were in the Flint Public Library for 27 years before they renovated it over the last couple years.”
“I know our history from the beginning of time until now,” said Mrs. E. Hill De Loney, who is 84.
De Loney said she loved what Coles has done, but loved her also because she knew Coles as a person. De Loney talked about the fact that previous discussions had centered around naming a room in the library after Coles. DeLoney said, however, without Coles there would not be a room or a library to name.
Brian Larkin, vice president of the Flint Public Library Board of Trustees, said he wanted it to go on record he did think Gloria Coles was worthy of the honor of having her name attached to the library’s name.
“I cringe at the thought of fighting about this because I think Gloria would be horrified,” he said.
Board President Reta Stanley was also among those who said there was not a fight going on.
The next FDL Regular Board meeting will take place June 2 and discussions will continue on this matter. Meanwhile, the first day of library service is May 20. On Thursday May 19, from
noon to 4 p.m. tours are being offered. For more weekend
events, see www.fpl.info.
