---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I loved going to the library. It was the…"
description: "\"“I loved going to the library. It was the first time I ever saw Black newspapers and magazines like JET, Ebony, the Baltimore Afro-American, or the Chi..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/john-robert-lewis-249623_african-american-aut_i-loved-going-to-the-library-it-was-the_3102282.jpg"
---

#  I loved going to the library. It was the first time I ever…

![“I loved going to the library. It was the first time I ever saw Black newspapers and magazines like JET, Ebony, the Baltimore Afro-American, or the Chicago Defender. And I’ll never forget my librarian.” quote by John Robert Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/john-robert-lewis-249623_african-american-aut_i-loved-going-to-the-library-it-was-the_3102282.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/john-robert-lewis-249623_african-american-aut_i-loved-going-to-the-library-it-was-the_3102282.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/john-robert-lewis-249623_african-american-aut_i-loved-going-to-the-library-it-was-the_3102282.jpg)

> ““I loved going to the library. It was the first time I ever saw Black newspapers and magazines like JET, Ebony, the Baltimore Afro-American, or the Chicago Defender. And I’ll never forget my librarian.””

[John Robert Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-robert-lewis/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The library opened doors to Black publications, fostering personal growth and lasting appreciation for librarians.

**In simple terms:** Library introduced Black media.

Key Takeaway

Value diverse reading experiences.

Themes

education diversity media personal growth

Mood

grateful reflective

Type

personal historical

When to use this quote

- community outreach
- cultural literacy programs
- personal memoirs

Key Concepts

representation library services

Questions to Reflect On

- How did representation affect you?
- What role do librarians play in inclusion?

A Different Perspective

May not reflect broader systemic issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[African-american-authors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american-authors/) [Baltimore Afro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baltimore-afro-5381962/) [Black Newspapers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-newspapers-5215124/) [Civil rights movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights-movement/) [Ebony Baltimore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ebony-baltimore-5381961/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Going Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-library-406167/) [Librarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/librarian/) [Librarians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/librarians/) [Libraries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libraries/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [“Black newspapers and their readers wasted no time in making the link between America’s inadequacy in space and the dreadful conditions facing many black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-lee-shetterly/black-newspapers-and-their-readers-wasted-no-time-in-making-the-link/)

[Margot Lee Shetterly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-lee-shetterly/)

> [“Who would have ever thought going to a library would be so scary?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandy-nacole/who-would-have-ever-thought-going-to-a-library-would-be-so-scary/)

[Brandy Nacole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandy-nacole/)

> [“I’m going to the library to taunt an animal dumber than me. Boys count.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-wolf/i-m-going-to-the-library-to-taunt-an-animal-dumber-than-me-boys-count/)

[Sara Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-wolf/)

> [Going to the library was the one place we got to go without asking for permission. And they let us choose what we wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/going-to-the-library-was-the-one-place-we-got-to-go-without-asking/)

[Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/)

> [I've got a vendetta to destroy the Net, to make everyone go to the library. I love the organic thing of pen and paper,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-fiennes/i-ve-got-a-vendetta-to-destroy-the-net-to-make-everyone-go-to-the/)

[Joseph Fiennes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-fiennes/)

> [I really enjoy going to a library and spending the day doing research - to me that is the most pleasurable part of writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/i-really-enjoy-going-to-a-library-and-spending-the-day-doing-research/)

[Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/)

> [If you do not throw in a few promises of better things to come, gloomy one, I am going to take you back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/if-you-do-not-throw-in-a-few-promises-of-better-things-to-come-gloomy/)

[Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/)

> [I'm old enough, by a long shot, to remember going to the library and spending days researching. If I was looking for a line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/i-m-old-enough-by-a-long-shot-to-remember-going-to-the-library-and/)

[Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/)

> [“You know it's desperate," she said. "Shane is going to the library. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/you-know-it-s-desperate-she-said-shane-is-going-to-the-library/)

[Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/)

> [“This is incredible. This is quite amazing because who you're honoring tonight is not only myself but the ghost of a lot of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/this-is-incredible-this-is-quite-amazing-because-who-you-re-honoring/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [“I’m completely library educated. I’ve never been to college. I went down to the library when I was in grade school in Waukegan, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-m-completely-library-educated-i-ve-never-been-to-college-i-went/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [When I think about it, I was working very hard the summer before I applied to graduate school. I was going to the library…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/when-i-think-about-it-i-was-working-very-hard-the-summer-before-i/)

[Yahya Abdul-Mateen II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahya-abdul-mateen-ii/)

> [OKAY. So I was going to the library every Saturday. So what? So what? It's not like I was reading books or anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-d-schmidt/okay-so-i-was-going-to-the-library-every-saturday-so-what-so-what-it/)

[Gary D. Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-d-schmidt/)

> [I am a librarian. I discovered me in the library. I went to find me in the library. Before I fell in love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-am-a-librarian-i-discovered-me-in-the-library-i-went-to-find-me-in/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [I can't imagine why you would want to take your child to see what the career of a writer is like, because it mostly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/i-can-t-imagine-why-you-would-want-to-take-your-child-to-see-what-the/)

[Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/)

## More African-american-authors quotes

> [“The South believed an educated Negro to be a dangerous Negro. And the South was not wholly wrong; for education among all kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois-2/the-south-believed-an-educated-negro-to-be-a-dangerous-negro-and-the/)

[W.E.B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois-2/)

> [“opprobrious term, employed to impose contempt upon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jabari-asim/opprobrious-term-employed-to-impose-contempt-upon/)

[Jabari Asim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jabari-asim/)

> [“Eschew evil and it's machinations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaachynma-n-e-agu/eschew-evil-and-it-s-machinations/)

[Jaachynma N.E. Agu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaachynma-n-e-agu/)

> [“She was disappointed in herself for being the typical girl. She never wants to be that girl. That girl…is an emotional wreck. That girl…was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iesha-s-walker/she-was-disappointed-in-herself-for-being-the-typical-girl-she-never/)

[Iesha S. Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iesha-s-walker/)

> [“Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/bringing-the-gifts-that-my-ancestors-gave-i-am-the-dream-and-the-hope/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [“Sow good seeds for a good yield.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaachynma-n-e-agu/sow-good-seeds-for-a-good-yield/)

[Jaachynma N.E. Agu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaachynma-n-e-agu/)

> [“Anyaele Sam Chiyson Leadership Law of Reproduction: Distinguished leaders impress, inspire and invest in other leaders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/anyaele-sam-chiyson-leadership-law-of-reproduction-distinguished/)

[Anyaele Sam Chiyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anyaele-sam-chiyson/)

> [“Sociologically, politically, psychologically, spiritually, it was never enough for James Baldwin to categorize himself as one thing or the other: not just black, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/sociologically-politically-psychologically-spiritually-it-was-never/)

[Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/)

> [“Don't descend to the lowest ebb.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agu-jaachynma-n-e-3/don-t-descend-to-the-lowest-ebb/)

[Agu Jaachynma N E](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agu-jaachynma-n-e-3/)

> [“Desire to impact lives! Change destinies and make dreams come true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaachynma-n-e-agu/desire-to-impact-lives-change-destinies-and-make-dreams-come-true/)

[Jaachynma N.E. Agu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaachynma-n-e-agu/)

> [“You buy so little and ask for even less, which makes me want to spoil you. That’s not how I grew up, which you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-jones/you-buy-so-little-and-ask-for-even-less-which-makes-me-want-to-spoil/)

[N.D. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-jones/)

> [“Black Girls… Until you get enough of what you’re going through, no matter what advice a person gives you, you’ll continue to go through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-lahart/black-girls-until-you-get-enough-of-what-you-re-going-through-no/)

[Stephanie Lahart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-lahart/)

> [“Call them from their houses, and teach them to dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-toomer/call-them-from-their-houses-and-teach-them-to-dream/)

[Jean Toomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-toomer/)

> [“Sow the right words! Think the good thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaachynma-n-e-agu/sow-the-right-words-think-the-good-thought/)

[Jaachynma N.E. Agu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaachynma-n-e-agu/)

> [“In your emotions: exercise Joy over sadness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agu-jaachynma-n-e-3/in-your-emotions-exercise-joy-over-sadness/)

[Agu Jaachynma N E](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agu-jaachynma-n-e-3/)

[Browse all 98 African-american-authors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american-authors/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I loved going to the library. It was the first time I ever saw Black newspapers and magazines like JET, Ebony, the Baltimore Afro-American, or the Chicago Defender. And I’ll never forget my librarian.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Robert Lewis"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-robert-lewis/i-loved-going-to-the-library-it-was-the-first-time-i-ever-saw-black/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "African-american-authors"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-robert-lewis/i-loved-going-to-the-library-it-was-the-first-time-i-ever-saw-black/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/john-robert-lewis-249623_african-american-aut_i-loved-going-to-the-library-it-was-the_3102282.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/john-robert-lewis-249623_african-american-aut_i-loved-going-to-the-library-it-was-the_3102282.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc7/john-robert-lewis-249623_african-american-aut_i-loved-going-to-the-library-it-was-the_3102282.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I loved going to the library. It was the first time I ever saw Black newspapers and magazines like JET…” — John Robert Lewis",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Robert Lewis",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-robert-lewis/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I loved going to the library....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-robert-lewis/i-loved-going-to-the-library-it-was-the-first-time-i-ever-saw-black/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-robert-lewis/i-loved-going-to-the-library-it-was-the-first-time-i-ever-saw-black/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
