Arlington Public Library

Christopher George

2025 Fall Book Sale

Find unbeatable deals on books, puzzles and more Oct. 23-26!

A book sale in Arlington Public Library’s parking garage, with people browsing shelves filled with books. In the foreground, two young women look at books; one with wavy brown hair, wearing a white t-shirt and striped pants, holds an open book, while the other, wearing glasses and a silk-patterned top, holds a book with a black and gold cover. Shelves are stocked with colorful books, and a crowd of shoppers carrying bags moves through the space.

The Friends of the Arlington Public Library (FOAL) invite you to the 2025 Fall Book Sale!

Central Library's signature book sale returns this fall with thousands of books, games, puzzles and more for all ages and interests! The sale offers incredible bargains and a way to support the library with proceeds going to programs such as the Arlington Reads author series. Don't miss out on these rare finds and amazing prices!

25e2135d-4ead-4826-a1a7-8dfcebb1fd2a.png

Dates, hours and location

Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St., parking garage

  • Thu., Oct. 23, 3-7:45 p.m. (Members Only Night)
  • Fri., Oct. 24, 10:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m. (Public sale)
  • Sat., Oct. 25, 10:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m. (Public sale)
  • Sun., Oct. 26, 10:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m. (Public sale, Half-Price Day)

Major credit cards and cash will be accepted. Mobile payments (ex: Apple Pay, Google Pay) are currently not accepted.

Please bring your own bags or boxes.

Teachers and librarians with school IDs enjoy a 50% discount on purchases Friday and Saturday, while everyone saves 50% on Sunday!

Learn More

Explore the Specialty Books Room

Looking for signed books, first editions, full sets and other rare finds? We have plenty for you to peruse inside!

The Specialty Books Room at Arlington Public Library’s book sale, featuring tables and shelves filled with rare and collectible books. In the foreground, tables display neatly arranged hardcover books, some in protective plastic. A small metal shelf holds additional books and magazines. In the background, three shoppers browse the shelves—one man in a black and white jacket, a woman in a black vest and blue pants, and another man wearing a black jacket with a patterned tote bag.

Take the elevator or stairs up from the book sale and visit the Quincy Room (on the first floor of the library by the Quincy Park entrance). Specialty books will be sold on Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Grab a Bite or Drink

On Friday (7 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and Sunday (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.), the Rossana coffee truck will visit the library—with 10% of proceeds benefiting the Friends of the Arlington Public Library!

Drop by the library's plaza closest to the Quincy Park tennis courts for their signature hand-crafted food and drinks.

A person holds an iced beverage that reads Rossana Happy Little Coffee Routines, with the Rossana coffee truck in the background

Parking

FOAL will be using the G1 floor of the parking garage beginning Oct. 22 throughout the sale. There will be no parking available in the library garage for the duration of the Book Sale. The ramp will also be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Visitors to the sale must enter the garage via the Central Library elevator or garage stairwells.

Please take metro or park in the outdoor lots surrounding the library. The closest Metro stations to Central Library are Ballston and Virginia Square on the Orange and Silver Lines.

For accessible parking, use the surface lot behind Central Library. The elevator inside the building will take you to G1 and the sale.

Free parking, without parking meters, may also be available within a short walk at:

Nearby paid parking options include:

FOAL members enjoy early access!

Thursday night is Members Only Night! To become a FOAL member, use the online application form.

Volunteers are still needed.

Contact volunteer@arlingtonlibraryfriends.org or fill out the volunteer application form to find out more about volunteering opportunities for the Friends of the Arlington Public Library.

Help for federal workers & contractors

If you are a federal employee or contractor and are facing layoffs, experiencing work-related stress or find yourself in a career transition, the library is here to help.

A modern office setting with multiple employees working at their desks. In the foreground, a person with dark, curly hair tied back sits in a black mesh office chair, facing a computer screen with their hands resting on the back of their head.

Join our free programs and workshops designed to help job seekers, ease stress and foster a supportive community with others in similar situations.

Upcoming events

More Workforce Support Events

Online resource guide

For those impacted by federal workforce actions, our librarians have assembled an online guide to services and programs that features career development resources, library and Arlington County programs and mental health support.

Check back for updates as we continue to add to these offerings.

Workforce Support Resources

Ideas for the future

If you have relevant expertise and could lead a program for this community, submit our program proposals form and include "Workforce Support" in your event description.

If you have a more general suggestion or request for a future program, email LibraryPrograms@arlingtonva.us with the subject line "Workforce Support."

Please note: inquiries may not receive a response unless further information is required.

Lead a Program

New September Releases

New Stories to Carry You Through the Fall Season

School has started and the weather has gotten cooler. These new titles are made for cozy evenings, your favorite pumpkin spice treat and getting lost in a page.

Follow the lives of the workers at a nail salon in "Pick a Color" by Souvankham Thammavongsa. To the customers, they have the same uniform and haircut and have nametags that say "Susan." They spend the day bantering and telling jokes in their unnamed mother language, showing their distinct lives and personalities. Told in the owner’s observant and dry-humored voice, it’s a funny and moving exploration of class, identity and work.

Steph wants to be the first Cherokee astronaut, an ambition that drives her life and tests her familial and romantic relationships. Through Steph and the women in her life, Eliana Ramage explores a wide range of Native American history and identity. In "To the Moon and Back," multiple narrators explore family, identity, ambition and space. In the hands of a lesser novelist, the result would be overstuffed, but this epic debut is instead absorbing and thought-provoking.

Growing up in a cult and struggling with addiction, chess was a lifeline and outlet for Danny Rensch. An International Master by the age of 19, he helped elevate the level of play at Chess.com and has become the face of the website, which was caught up in a massive cheating scandal. "Dark Squares" combines a poignant story of overcoming adversity with a history and examination of the game.

In "Humanish," Justin Gregg examines how our peculiar tendency to humanize the nonhuman helps us socially connect and make sense of the world. At the same time, humanizing mundane objects makes it easier to dehumanize large groups of people. Full of research and illuminating anecdotes, this informative and astute exploration of anthropomorphism is a delightful and engaging read.

Gail Jarrow’s latest medical history book for middle grade readers, "White House Secrets," looks at nine presidents whose health information was concealed from the public. From Garfield up through Biden, it examines the history and the ethical issues surrounding presidential health. Intriguing and accessible, it’s also great conversation fodder.

Teen readers will learn all about the radical Emma Goldman in "Loudmouth" by Deborah Heiligman. Born in Lithuania in 1869, Goldman was forced to leave school at 13 to help support her family. At 16, she immigrated to America where she faced discrimination for being Jewish, an immigrant and a woman. This engrossing tale of a fierce and influential figure has many contemporary parallels, but Heiligman keeps her meticulous research and absorbing prose on Goldman herself.

Place Your Holds Now!

More Book Lists to Explore

For those who are awaiting new seasons of Only Murders in the Building and Slow Horses, explore these book lists inspired by both series.

Only Murders in Building
Slow Horses

Make the Most of Libby: Tips for Every Reader

If you love reading with Libby, you're not alone! It's one of the best ways to access eBooks and audiobooks for free with your Arlington Public Library card. Whether you’re just getting started or you’re already a digital borrowing pro, these helpful tips can make your experience smoother, faster and more enjoyable.

Keep Track of Your Holds

Did a book you were waiting for disappear? Occasionally, titles are removed from the digital collection while you're in line. Unfortunately, Libby doesn’t notify you—it simply vanishes from your Holds list. 

To stay ahead: 

  • Check your Holds regularly to make sure everything’s still there. 
  • Use Tags to mark books you really want, so you can find them again if they’re removed. 
  • Explore your Timeline (under the Shelf tab) to review your reading history, including old or canceled holds. 

Get Books Faster with Smart Browsing

Looking for something to read right now?  If the wait feels long, you’re not imagining it. Digital licenses are shared across all library users and popular titles can have long queues.  

Luckily, there are ways to skip the line: 

  • Use the “Available Now” filter to find titles ready to borrow immediately. 
  • Tap “Read Sample” or “Play Sample” while waiting for a hold to preview the book. 
  • Check other formats. If the audiobook is checked out, the eBook might be available (and vice versa). 

Help the Hold Line Move Faster

Feel like you’re stuck in the same spot in the holds queue forever? A few small actions can help everyone get their books a little quicker.  

  • Cancel holds you’re no longer interested in to shorten wait times for others. 
  • Return books early if you finish before the due date. This sends them straight to the next person in line. 
  • When a hold becomes available, check it out promptly or choose “Deliver Later” if you’re not ready. This keeps the line moving smoothly for everyone. 

Free Up Space for More Reading

Can’t borrow any more titles? Libby lets you borrow up to 20 titles at a time. But even if you’re done with a book, it still counts toward your limit until it’s returned. 

To make space: 

  • Go to Shelf > Loans > Manage Loan > Return Early. 
  • For Kindle books, return them from your Amazon account, Kindle app or Kindle device. 

Plan Ahead for Your Reading Time

Life happens and sometimes a book becomes available when you’re too busy to read it. Libby gives you three days to borrow it, but if you miss the window twice, the hold is canceled. 

Good news: you have options! 

  • Tap “Deliver Later” to delay your loan (up to 180 days!) and keep your spot in line. 
  • Use “Suspend Hold” to pause your place in the queue before your book becomes available.

Read Your Way

Libby’s reading settings are totally customizable. For better comfort and accessibility: 

  • Adjust font size and style for easier reading. 
  • Choose from bright, sepia, or dark backgrounds to reduce eye strain. 
  • If your device uses dark mode, Libby will automatically apply a dark theme for nighttime reading. 

Make Kindle Your Default

Prefer reading on your Kindle? You can skip the extra steps and set it as your default reading method. 

Just go to:

  • Menu (Libby icon) > Settings > Read Books With… > Kindle
  • Once set, Libby will automatically send your borrowed eBooks to Kindle when available. 

Whether you're reading on your commute, listening during a walk or curled up with your Kindle, Libby has something for everyone. Try out these tips and enjoy smoother browsing, shorter waits and more personalized reading time.

Ready to explore more? Visit our Libby help page or stop by any Arlington Public Library location for assistance.

Happy reading!

Remembering Kitty Clark Stevenson

On June 4, 2025, Kitty Clark Stevenson, a native of Hall’s Hill and longtime community organizer, business owner and proud great-grandmother, passed away. Kitty’s friends describe her as a beloved storyteller and a brilliant public speaker who was never afraid to stand up for herself and her neighbors.

Kitty was born on August 1, 1949, to Jalorce M. Clark and Alfred W. Clark, Sr., the first Black firefighter to be paid by Arlington County. She attended Langston Elementary, Swanson Junior High and Washington-Lee High School (now Washington-Liberty). She was one of the first Black children to attend Swanson during integration.

Kitty discusses what it was like to grow up in Arlington County under segregation and the impacts of attending Swanson Junior High during integration.

In her professional life, Kitty built a legacy based on equal rights and public service. She was a human resources management professional for over 50 years and owned a consulting firm, ABLE’N Consulting, LLC. She worked for the Arlington County Personnel Department from 1983 until her retirement in 2000.

Kitty was Arlington’s first full-time Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Officer, also serving as Personnel EEO Specialist and Selective Placement Program Manager. She was a certified WINDMILLS trainer and trained people with disabilities, managers, employees and personnel specialists on disability awareness and sensitivity issues.

After her retirement, Kitty continued to challenge discrimination through community work. In 2007, she was appointed to the Arlington Human Rights Commission, chairing from 2011 to 2017.

Interview with Kitty Clark Stevenson in which she talks about her work with the Arlington Voting Office and the history of Fire Station No. 8.

Kitty also had a passion for voting. She started working with the Arlington County Department of Voter Registration and Elections in 2002, first as an election officer, then as an Assistant Registrar. She was chief of Precinct 101 in the Douglas Park neighborhood.

As a young woman, Kitty had been instructed by her dad to save her money for the poll tax. When she came of age, around 1970, she went to register to vote. In her memory of that day, she came to the central registrar’s office and waited patiently at the counter to be acknowledged. The Registrar ignored her, continuing to sort papers at the counter.

Eventually, a man entered behind Kitty and the Registrar welcomed him. The man indicated that Kitty had been there first and that she needed to be served. These small acts of indifference and kindness stayed with her and inspired her.

Kitty was committed to ensuring that each person she interacted with on behalf of the Office of Voter Registration felt seen. Gretchen Reinemeyer, Arlington County’s General Registrar, remembers how Kitty endeavored to make voting accessible to all, assisting voters in understanding the law and their options to successfully cast their ballot.
“While there are countless lessons I learned from Kitty over the years, perhaps the greatest was to make the font size larger! A small act of kindness to anyone over the age of 40 who left their readers at home,” said Reinemeyer.

Kitty’s favorite story from the precinct on election day was when a young man came running in and asked for a curbside ballot on behalf of his wife, who was in labor. As Chief Election Officer, Kitty went into a frenzy to gather the necessary paperwork and get the woman voted and on her way to the hospital. Delivering babies wasn’t covered in election officer training.

Kitty Clark Stevenson (left) and Marguarite Gooden (right) in front of the old Fire Station No. 8 building in 2016.

Kitty Clark Stevenson (left) and Marguarite Gooden (right) in front of the old Fire Station No. 8 building in 2016. From ARLnow.

In 2015, Kitty became a leader in a community effort to preserve Fire Station No. 8, the County’s historically Black fire station, in its original location. In 2014, the Arlington Fire Chief had earmarked Station 8 for possible “relocation, consolidation, replacement or closure” based on the findings of traffic and response time studies conducted by the county.

Plans began to move the station north near Marymount University, with no notice or input from the Hall’s Hill community. When news reached the John M. Langston Citizens Association, they immediately began organizing to prevent the loss of their neighborhood’s historic firehouse.

The daughter of respected Station 8 captain Alfred W. Clark, Sr., Kitty had grown up in the station and understood how important it was to the community. At a time when Black Arlingtonians were barred from movie theaters, restaurants and recreational activities under Jim Crow segregation, Station 8 served as a vital community center. It brought people together from all three historic Black neighborhoods in Arlington, serving Green Valley, Johnson’s Hill and Hall’s Hill.

Firefighters would host movie nights for the neighborhood kids in the 1950s and the station was one of the first places in the area that had a telephone and a color television. Some of the firefighters had even set up their own golf course by the station on Culpeper Street. Neighbors knew they could always stop by to chat, play games and seek refuge.

A black and white photo of the old Fire Station No.8 in Arlington, Virginia.

Fire Station No. 8 at its previous 2209 Culpeper Street location, ca. 1934-1963. From PG 200

In September 2015, after pressure from both the John M. Langston and Old Dominion Citizens Associations, the County Board created a community task force to help determine how to move forward with Station 8.

As one of the five “Fire Station 8 Angels” — including her close friends Marguarite Gooden, Edith Gravely, Peggy Carter Jones and Rochelle Jones-Day — Kitty was integral in the fight to build the new Station 8 on its original site. She was known for being collected but forceful. Kitty spoke out at the county board meetings and made sure that the task force understood the station’s historical significance.

“She was like our spiritual glue, in a sense...the light of the Lord shone through her and helped our lights shine. And I think that’s why they called us the Station 8 Angels,” said Gooden. Jones-Day remembers Kitty as their “Big Sister in Christ,” guiding them with strength and prayer.

An updated photo of the new Station 8 fire station in Arlington, Virginia.

First day of operations at the new Station 8 building, June 25, 2024.

In the end, they successfully advocated for a new, larger Fire Station 8 to be built on its original site. As a member of the Fire Station No. 8 History & Legacy Working Group, Kitty helped choose the words that adorn the walls of the new building, including “Resilience,” “Service” and “Dedication.”

While she may not have fought fires like her father, Kitty fought for what she thought was right. Her legacy lives on in Arlington.

Sources:

Help Build Arlington's Community History

The Charlie Clark Center for Local History (CCCLH) collects, preserves and shares resources that illustrate Arlington County’s history, diversity and communities. Learn how you can play an active role in documenting Arlington's history by donating physical and/or digital materials for the Center for Local History’s permanent collection.

Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share? 

Use this form to send a message to the Charlie Clark Center for Local History.

Center For Local History - Blog Post Message Form

Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share? Use this form to send a message to the Center for Local History.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Share Your Story

New July Releases

July's turning up the heat and so are these new releases!

The long, hot days of summer are perfect for cooling off into a great book, and there are excellent new releases to choose from.

The Rashomon-esque thriller, Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke, looks at Katie, a 22-year-old murder suspect, through the eyes of five men—her father, her ex-lover, her friend, her lawyer and a journalist. They all know a different side of her and have differing feelings about her guilt. Told in alternating perspectives, the reader gets several versions of truth as they piece together who Katie is and what really happened.

Fans of comforting, cozy reads will want to pick up Convenience Store by the Sea by Sonoko Machida, translated from Japanese by Bruno Navasky. The lives of the employees and customers at a local convenience store intertwine and come together under the watchful eye of the store’s manager, Mr. Shiba, who takes the store’s motto, “Caring for people, caring for you,” very seriously.

During the early days of the pandemic, four true-crime-obsessed friends decided to try and solve a local cold case. The Carpool Detectives by Chuck Hogan details their success in finding enough information to get the case officially reopened, only for the women to find themselves in real danger from those who wanted the case to stay cold.

It’s not just middle grade readers who will enjoy looking over Rachel Lancashire’s The Atlas of Languages. Beautifully illustrated, it has everything from the source of the word “banana” to Manx language revival and a chapter on different sign languages around the world.

Every year, Dulce’s school puts on a murder mystery game to test their criminology students, and this year she’s determined to win. But there’s more than her grade on the line when the victim ends up actually murdered and the body count keeps rising. The snappy teen mystery Very Dangerous Things by Lauren Muñoz is full of twists and turns for a satisfyingly chilling read.

Place Your Holds Now!

More Book Lists to Explore

Celebrate Disability Pride Month with excellent reads that champion inclusion.

Disability Pride 2025

Check out these romance novels featuring characters living with mental illness.

Romance w/ Mental Illness

Director’s Message: Collections Updates

A woman browses books in a brightly lit aisle at Arlington Public Library, pulling a hardcover from the shelf while reading the back cover. Books fill the shelves around her in a well-organized collection.

Arlington Public Library’s collections budget is decreasing 21% in Fiscal Year 2026. The library will continue to build and sustain a collection that fully serves the reading and educational needs of Arlington residents. However, patrons may notice some changes starting July 1 including:

  • An increase in wait times on the most popular titles, both for print and digital collections.
  • For digital collections, wait times will increase to up to 35 weeks or longer.
  • The library’s eBook “Grab and Go” collection will be discontinued for FY 2026. The print “Grab and Go” collection will still be available.

Changes to Streaming Services

A person wearing headphones sits at a table in Arlington Public Library, browsing the Biblio+ streaming service on a laptop. The screen displays the homepage featuring the film The Bookshop and a tagline that reads “a library of entertainment at your fingertips.”

Starting July 1, Arlington Public Library is moving to two new streaming services. To provide similar breadth and quality of content while offering better value and long-term sustainability, the Library is discontinuing Kanopy and adding two new streaming options:

Biblio+

  • Curated and growing selection of independent films, documentaries, TV series (including BBC content) and children’s programming
  • Accessible on all devices; unlimited, ad-free access

Access Video

  • Over 30,000 educational and entertainment videos
  • Content providers include PBS, HBO, National Geographic, TED Talks and more
  • Unlimited, ad-free access for patrons; accessible on all devices
Screenshot of the Access Video streaming service homepage, featuring a banner for the show “Brain Games” and logos of featured producers including ABC, Green Planet Films, National Geographic, A&E Networks, PBS, and HBO. Below are carousels of Staff Picks and AVOD exclusives with program thumbnails such as The Weight of the Nation, The Story of God with Morgan Freeman, and Years of Living Dangerously.

The staff of Arlington Public Library remains committed to providing the highest levels of library service to ensure patrons can read what they want, when they want and however they want. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us over the next year as we manage these changes to our collection.

Signatue of Library Director Diane Kresh.

Diane Kresh
Director, Arlington Public Library

Summer Reading 2025: Share the Love with Your Library

Arlington Public Library kicks off its annual Summer Reading program with fun events at select locations on June 6 and 7! Readers of all ages can complete the challenge to earn prizes and participate in dozens of free events all summer long.

Register in the Arlington Public Library app today or pick up a paper reading log at any library location to record your reading. Read for 30 days to earn terrific prizes, including:

📚 A free book OR a coupon for one free book from any Friends of the Library bookstore

⚾ A voucher for two free tickets to select Washington Nationals games

Read for an extra 10 days and fulfill one of the following challenges to become a Super Reader:

  • Visit the library to add the title of a book you read this summer to our "Heart Wall."
  • Do something helpful for your family member, neighbor, or community.
  • Write a letter to a family member, friend, neighbor or community helper to share your thoughts.

Super Readers are entered into a weekly prize drawing from July 11 – September 5. Win prizes featuring local sports teams, ice cream shops and more! The sooner you become a super reader, the sooner you become eligible to win weekly prizes!

For every person who completes Summer Reading, the Friends of Arlington Library will also donate $1 to Animal Welfare League of Arlington.

Remember, you only need to read for any 30 days starting on June 1 to win prizes—even just a few minutes per day counts! You can also "backdate" in the app or reading log to give yourself credit for any days you might forget to mark.

Learn More about Summer Reading

Celebrate Summer Reading at Multiple Locations!

Three children at Glencarlyn Library playing with various balloons.

Share the Love of Summer Reading by joining us at our Summer Reading Kickoffs at multiple libraries on June 6 and 7!  Sign up for the program, enjoy crafts, games, prizes and frozen treats while supplies last.

Summer Reading Kickoffs

Summer Reading is made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Arlington Public Library and the Washington Nationals.

Director’s Message: The Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden

The Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden: an appreciation

Dr. Carla Hayden was sworn in as the 14th Librarian of Congress in 2016. Appointed by Barack Obama in the final days of his presidency, she was the first woman and first African American to lead this storied institution—which I was fortunate to call “home” for more than 30 years.

Arlington Public Library staff meeting with Dr. Hayden.
Arlington Public Library staff meet with Dr. Hayden in the Librarian's Ceremonial Office in the Thomas Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress, November 2, 2022. (L-R): Katherine Chiriboga, Anneliesa Alprin, Brittany Veland, Jennifer Odlum, Diane Kresh, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.

Carla Hayden is of the people and for the people. She has used her years of public librarianship in Chicago and Baltimore to open wide the doors of the “people’s library.” Her championing of literacy, popular culture and freedom of speech is her proud legacy.

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden delivers the "Play Ball!" announcement for Library Night at Washington Nationals Park, August 20, 2024. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

Short in stature, tall in spirit, she is unwavering in her belief that libraries are for everyone. She was President of the American Library Association (ALA) when the Patriot Act was moving through Congress and fought to preserve the sanctity of library borrowing records.

Dr. Carla Hayden in a purple jacket at the Library of Congress Main Reading Room.
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden in the Library's Main Reading Room, September 1, 2020. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

Dr. Hayden was fired by the current administration via email on Thursday, May 8, one year before her 10-year term was to end.

Thank you for your service, Dr. Hayden. Our nation’s libraries owe you a debt of gratitude.

Signatue of Library Director Diane Kresh.

Diane Kresh
Director, Arlington Public Library

Appreciating Arlington Educator Katherine Mosley Ross

This Teacher Appreciation Week, we’re showing our appreciation for Arlington educator Katherine Mosley Ross.

A photo of Katherine Ross with a white garment on her head, a white dress and white pearls around her neck.

Katherine Ross, date unknown. From her funeral program, 2003.

Katherine Mosley (Woodson) Ross was born on May 19, 1905, in Lynchburg, Virginia. She was the first child born to William Edward Mosley, a blacksmith who owned a shop in what was then known as Hell’s Bottom and Emma Isabel Mosley, a housewife who briefly worked for the government during World War I.

Shortly after Ross’ birth, William and Emma built a home at 909 S. Scott St., where they lived for the rest of their lives. The house is still standing, directly next door to St. John’s Baptist Church, which was built in 1907.

Ross’ elementary education began at St. John’s Baptist Church School. By the time she entered the fourth grade, the church school had closed, and she began attending what was known as the “new Jefferson School,” a 4-room schoolhouse built on land purchased from the South Arlington Cemetery Corporation in 1914.

The “old” Jefferson School was the first public elementary school for Black students in Arlington, established in 1870.

The main building of the Hoffman-Boston Junior High School formerly known as the Jefferson School in black and white and a medium size two storied building.

The main building of the Hoffman-Boston Junior High School (formerly the Jefferson School), a segregated school built in 1915 with an addition added in 1931, at 1415 S. Queen Street. The building is currently part of the Hoffman-Boston Elementary School campus. From RG 32.

While Ross was a student at Jefferson, Fletcher Kemp began his long tenure as superintendent. He became known for his vigorous efforts to reform the school system. In an oral history interview, Ross cited Superintendent Kemp as someone who encouraged and inspired her to pursue a career in teaching.

[Kemp] said, "I want you to go over there to Dunbar or Armstrong and go further and come back here and teach in my school.” And I knew he was talking to me, he looked right at me, and he said, "I expect you to come back and teach in my school."

Then, you know, you didn't answer. But I smiled, and I just said, well I was going to do it. I was going to do it anyway, but I was going to do it. And I knew he meant for me to come back and teach in Arlington County Public Schools.

Ross would go on to do just that. After graduating from Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C. (there were no Black high schools in Arlington at that time), she enrolled in the Minors Teacher College at Georgia Avenue and Harvard Street.

Every morning, Ross would have to leave her house at 7 a.m., take a trolley from Arlington to Pennsylvania Avenue and hop on a streetcar to get to school. She was forced to ride in the back of the trolley.

As far back as I can remember, my father used to tell me that there was a law ... and that law said that there was a difference between white and Black. But the minute he said that, he said, “but the law is wrong.”

He said, “there isn't any difference. So far as brains, you have just as much brains as anybody. But the law says: This is why you have to sit in the back of the trolley. This is why you can't go to some places in Washington D.C.” Well, there wasn't any place in Arlington to go, so it didn't make too much difference. But if there was a restaurant or whatever in Arlington, I couldn't have gone to it anyway.

But he insisted on telling me that the law was wrong. “But it's the law, so I don't want you to get hurt...But remember that regardless of what you have to do, it is wrong. And one of these days, it's going to change.” Well, it was a little difficult, but I believed what he said.

So, when I rode on the trolley, I knew I had to sit in the back. But I knew that was the worst place in the world, I shouldn't have to be there.

After graduating from teaching school, Ross applied for a job with the Arlington County Public School system. Kemp hired her and appointed her to teach first and second grade at Langston School. She held that post for four years before marrying her first husband.

At the time, married women were not permitted to teach in Arlington, so, she left and didn’t return to teach at Arlington Public Schools until 1937. In the meantime, she earned her bachelor's degree while continuing to teach in North Carolina and Campbell County, Virginia.

A young black girl performing a dance, standing on her toes.

Girl performing dance on toe shoes at Langston School, 1955. From PG 218.

When Ross returned to Arlington, she was appointed to the new Hoffman-Boston High School – the first Black high school in the county, established at the former Jefferson School, where she had found her inspiration to teach two decades prior.

Despite the efforts of the teachers, the resources that students had access to were inadequate compared to the white high schools. Ross and others were known to send their students to libraries in D.C. to supplement their education, since the Hoffman-Boston Library was lacking.

Black students eating lunch with each other at Hoffman-Boston High School.

Lunch time at Hoffman-Boston High School. From RG 307.

In 1941, with the U.S. joining the war effort, the Pentagon was built, displacing the Black families who lived in what was known as Queen City. Most relocated to Green Valley, causing the student population to skyrocket at the local Kemper Elementary School (later renamed Drew Elementary School).

Superintendent Kemp called upon Ross to be a leader to the teachers at Kemper. She helped them make the best of their strained resources and contend with squeezing a full day’s curriculum into half-day shifts, which allowed them to teach as many students as possible.

A two-story building used for schooling.

The second Kemper School building, built in 1893 for Black students in the Green Valley/Nauck neighborhood. The building was replaced in 1945 and is now the Charles R. Drew Elementary School at 3500 23rd Street. From RG 32.

When Arlington Public Schools desegregated in 1959, Drew Elementary began to receive its first white students. Around this time, Ross became an assistant principal, supervising grades three through six. She oversaw the integration of the first white teacher, Ms. Hopkins, into a previously all-Black school.

Ross continued to teach at Drew until her retirement in 1970, after a 45-year career.

In addition to her career as a lifelong educator, Ross was a proud member of St. John’s Baptist Church for over 85 years. She devoted her time and leadership to the senior choir, trustee board, vacation Bible school and Sunday school. Her legacy to the church and community is the Katherine Mosley Ross Scholarship Fund, inspired by her loving dedication to education.

Sources:

Help Build Arlington's Community History

The Charlie Clark Center for Local History (CCCLH) collects, preserves and shares resources that illustrate Arlington County’s history, diversity and communities. Learn how you can play an active role in documenting Arlington's history by donating physical and/or digital materials for the Center for Local History’s permanent collection.

Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share? 

Use this form to send a message to the Charlie Clark Center for Local History.

Center For Local History - Blog Post Message Form

Do you have a question about this story, or a personal experience to share? Use this form to send a message to the Center for Local History.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Share Your Story



Download the Library App