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New Exhibition Features Work of Former Voting Rights Activists

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, Arlington Public Library has partnered with community organizations for the exhibition “From Barriers to Ballots—The Fight for Equal Voting Rights in Virginia,” to tell the stories of activists in Arlington and Northern Virginia who fought for voting rights.

At six locations in Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax, visitors can discover the stories of Annie E. Harper who hailed from the historic Black community of Gum Springs, VA; Hall’s Hill (now High View Park) activist Portia A. Haskins; and former Green Valley resident and community organizer John Robinson. Their tireless work impacted local communities in Northern Virginia and had vast implications for voting rights nationally, resulting in a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on March 24, 1966, that ended the Jim Crow era poll tax in Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas.

The exhibitions will be on view during regular opening hours from Aug. 1 to Nov. 4, 2025, at Bozman Government Center, Arlington Central Library, Arlington Historical Museum, Black Heritage Museum of Arlington, Sherwood Regional Library (Aug. 1-31), and City of Fairfax Regional Library (Sept. 1-Nov. 4).

Exhibition partners include the Arlington Historical Society, the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington, the League of Women Voters of Arlington and Alexandria City and the NAACP Arlington Branch.

Funding for “From Barriers to Ballots” has generously been provided by the Friends of the Arlington Public Library (FOAL).

Content for this exhibition has been provided by the Charlie Clark Center for Local History (CCCLH) and the following media contributors: Arlington County Department of Voter Registration and Elections; Bethlehem Baptist Church, Gum Springs, Virginia; City of Fairfax Regional Library, Fairfax County Public Library; Library of Congress; Library of Virginia; Norman Rockwell Museum and the Virginia Museum of Fine Art.

Join the library and community partners at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 6, at Central Library for the opening reception of the exhibition to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Find more events featuring voting rights history.

New June Releases

Kick off your Summer Reading with these new books.

June is here. With the end of school and the start of summer, this month gives us a great selection of books to kick off Summer Reading.

In "Making Friends Can Be Murder" by Kathleen West, six Minneapolis women, all named Sarah Jones, connect via Instagram and become friends. When a Sarah Jones who isn’t in the group turns up dead and one of their own is the prime suspect, they band together to investigate in this playful and quirky mystery.

The "Phoenix Pencil Company" by Allison King explores memory and story when a college freshman tries to reunite her grandmother with her long-lost cousin. In dual timelines, Monica journals in an online app while caring for her ailing grandparents. Meanwhile, her grandmother tells her story of espionage and betrayal when she was young in Japanese-occupied Shanghai. A luminous family saga awaits.

People often wonder at the point of studying such “silly” things as the tubercles on humpback whales, Yellowstone’s bacteria, or Gila monster venom. In "The Salmon Cannon and the Levitating Frog," Carly Anne York explains how discoveries build on discoveries and lead to important breakthroughs, such as more efficient wind turbines (the humpback whales) COVID-19 PCR testing (Yellowstone’s bacteria) and Ozempic (Gila monster venom).

From a carpet woven in the 3rd or 4th century BCE and discovered during an archaeological dig effected by the Russian Revolution, to one woven in 21st century Pakistan for commercial export, "Threads of Empire" by Dorothy Armstrong examines the conditions in which these objects were made, moved and found, and the people’s lives they touched along the way. An intriguing look at history that might literally be beneath our feet.

When Esme’s friend says she’s "too intense" from chasing after her mother’s approval, Esme vows a chill summer at the pool with her swim team. But a growth spurt has made Esme really fast this season, so her mother has started to take an interest. Unfortunately, her focus on winning and being the best feels unsportsmanlike to Esme. In Wendy Wan-Long Shang’s middle-grade book "The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun," Esme must learn to listen to her inner voice as she balances her mother's approval with being a good teammate in this heartwarming story.

Last summer, Mandy’s best friend was killed in an accident. This summer, her family is back at the same vacation spot while Mandy, a true-crime podcaster, and the police start looking back into the case. Was it really that accidental? And how much fault does Mandy have? "Now She’s Dead" by Roselyn Clarke is a dark, twisty mystery that will keep teen readers guessing right to the end.

Place Your Holds Now!

More Book Lists to Explore

Library Director Diane Kresh shares her book recommendations to celebrate Pride.

Pride Guest List

Commemorate Juneteenth with these great reads.

Juneteenth

Celebrate WorldPride And Pride Month With Us

Share the Love

Come as you are to Arlington Public Library as we celebrate WorldPride and Pride Month with fun programs, creative book displays and our "Diverse Voices" book lists!

Discover Pride Programs

Pride Events

Queer Joy Art Party–Teen & Adult Edition

June 4, create hats, tote bags and fans in preparation for DC and WorldPride Fest and Parade. Grades 6-12 are welcome at 4:30 p.m., and adults can start their projects at 6 p.m.

RSVP

Take a Chance Book Club

June 9, join us to talk about "I Kissed Shara Wheeler" by Casey McQuiston (Young Adult).

RSVP

Family Art Night: Pride Month

For children and their adults. June 9, experiment, problem-solve and use your creativity by making a work of process-oriented art.

Join Us

Pride Lecture

June 16, Dr. David Powers Corwin (they/them) from George Mason University will focus on how it is possible to support the elimination of discrimination of those who do not fit society's traditional view about gender and sexuality.

RSVP

Never Too Old Book Club

June 17, join us online on ZOOM to talk about "Last Night at the Telegraph Club" by Malinda Lo. Because you're never too old to enjoy YA!

RSVP

Take-and-Make Rainbow Pride Bracelet

For children and teens. June 21, pick up a 'Take-And-Make bag' at Columbia Pike Library and make a rainbow Pride bracelet at home.

Join Us

Teen Pride Crafternoon

June 24, celebrate Pride Month by making keychains. Trace a pride design or draw your own design onto our special shrinky dink paper and shrink it into a fun new keychain!

Join Us

Glencarlyn Book Club: “Orlando”

June 24, join us at the library for a book discussion on "Orlando" by author Virginia Woolf.

RSVP

Teen Rock Painting at Glencarlyn

June 25, to commemorate Pride month, show your love of painting rocks with a Pride theme. All materials provided.

RSVP

Love is Love LGBTQIA+ Book Club

June 28, join us for a fun discussion of LGBTQIA+ themed books! Our monthly selection for June features "The Guncle Abroad" by Steven Rowley.

RSVP

Pride Guest List: Diane Kresh's 2025 Picks

Library Director Diane Kresh shares her book recommendations to celebrate Pride.

Diane Kresh's 2025 Picks

Learn About Arlington’s First Openly LGBTQIA+ Elected Official

In 1997, Jay Fisette became the first openly LGBTQIA+ person elected to office in the state of Virginia when he won a seat on the Arlington County Board. Listen to the oral history.

Oral History

Explore LGBTQIA+ Voices

The library maintains many Diverse Voices book lists for all ages, genres and interests designed to educate, raise awareness and entertain.

LGBTQIA+ Voices

New May Releases

Spring cleaning? We prefer spring reading. 🌸🧹📚

Turn off notifications, find a quiet spot in the shade and use these new books as the perfect excuse to ignore your to-do list.

When Cora’s son is born, everyone in the family disagrees on what to name him. "The Names" by Florence Knapp explores three different timelines, each stemming from what name the baby is given.  

You don’t need to be a racing fan to enjoy Karen Booth’s steamy enemies-to-loves romance, "Not So Fast." Formula 1 podcaster Mia has been going viral for her hot takes on struggling racer Xander, but when the two meet face-to-face, a different type of sparks begin to fly!  

The axe is one of humanity’s oldest tools and most chilling weapons. In "Whack Job," Rachel McCarthy James mixes true crime, pop culture and witty prose to trace a lethal legacy through the centuries, from royal executions in Tudor England to infamous modern crimes like Lizzie Borden. 

From closeted housewives to out teens, the entries from a lesbian helpline reveal a chorus of voices seeking connection and solidarity in 1990s London. Weaving these stories with her own, Elizabeth Lovatt’s "Thank You For Calling the Lesbian Line" asks vital questions about queer history and who gets remembered. 

Newbery Medal winner Erin Entrada Kelly shifts to nonfiction in her middle grade biography "At Last She Stood." Diagnosed with leprosy during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, Josefina "Joey" Guerrero was expected to disappear quietly. Instead, she used her disease to slip past Japanese checkpoints and delivered crucial intelligence to the Allies. This riveting account of Guerrero’s bravery brings an unsung World War II hero to light. 

Teen mystery fans will enjoy the sharp and funny "Death in the Cards" by Mia P. Manansala. Danika juggles tarot readings and part-time PI work at her mom’s detective agency—but when a classmate disappears after a chilling tarot session, Danika’s casual side hustle turns into a full-blown investigation involving secret identities, hidden movies and a growing web of suspects. 

Place Your Holds Now!

More Book Lists to Explore

Celebrate the many cultures and stories within the AANHPI community with hand-picked books by librarian Deborah K for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month.

AANHPI Guest List

Explore these books, suggested by the Arlington County's Chavurah Employee Resource Group for Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM).

JAHM Guest List

Exhibition: From Barriers to Ballots

August 1-November 30

Black voters at the polls, ca. 1944-1962.
A Black man is entering a voting booth in Miami, Florida.
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-USZ62-119976

Stars graphic in red, white and blue.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965

August 6 marks the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which some consider to be the crowning achievement of the 1960s Civil Rights movement. It was a milestone in the long struggle to extend political representation and voting rights to Black Americans.

From Barriers To Ballots:
The Fight for Equal Voting Rights in Virginia

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, Arlington Public Library has partnered with several community organizations to tell the stories of activists, changemakers and everyday people in Arlington and Northern Virginia who fought for voting rights.

On View

The exhibitions have been extended at the following locations through Nov. 30:

from-barriers-to-ballots-title-graphic_300x240

Thank You

Exhibition partners include the Arlington Historical Society, the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington, the League of Women Voters of Arlington and Alexandria City and the NAACP Arlington Branch. 

Special thanks to the following media contributors: Arlington County Department of Voter Registration and Elections; Bethlehem Baptist Church, Gum Springs, Virginia; City of Fairfax Regional Library, Fairfax County Public Library; Library of Congress; Library of Virginia;
Norman Rockwell Museum and the Virginia Museum of Fine Art.

“From Barriers to Ballots” has generously been funded by the Friends of the Arlington Public Library (FOAL).

New Friends of the Library logo in bright colors. Tagline reads "Books are only the beginning"

“The goal is to develop a culture of voting in Arlington.”

Detta Kissel, volunteer, NAACP Arlington Branch

“We are a big mixing bowl and when I put in my vote, I add my ingredient. Every time I vote, I feel like an American.”

Dr. Scott Edwin Taylor, Ph.D., President, Black Heritage Museum of Arlington

“Voting is everything. Who you are. Your chance to give worth to your being, to care for your country. All of those things which make America great.”

Brenda Faison, Former Director of Christian Education and Missions, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Gum Springs, VA

Votes For The First Time

Votes for First Time at 79 by Harris & Ewing Inc.
Mrs. Lucy O’Leary of Arlington, VA, pictured on October 15, 1936. Her horse and wagon are adorned with banners endorsing Republican Alf Landon for President and Frank Knox for Vice President in the electoral race against Franklin D. Roosevelt. At age 79, Mrs. O’Leary cast her first ever vote in favor of Landon, who lost to Roosevelt by a landslide that November.
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-DIG-hec-33957

Charlie Clark Center for Local History: Where Stories Live

The Charlie Clark Center for Local History

Content and research for this exhibition has been provided by the Charlie Clark Center for Local History (CCCLH).

The Charlie Clark Center for Local History (CCCLH) collects, preserves, and shares resources that illustrate Arlington County’s history, diversity and communities.

Contact the CCCLH at localhistory@arlingtonva.us or 703-228-7714 to find out how you can donate materials, photographs and memorabilia or to be a part of an oral history interview.

Visit the CCCLH

Ellen M. Bozman at 100

April 21, 2025, marks Ellen M. Bozman’s 100th birthday.

Bozman (1925-2009) was a community activist, politician and visionary leader who left behind a legacy which guided Arlington in transitioning from a suburban enclave to a bustling urban community while preserving the vitality of Arlington’s neighborhoods.

Ellen M. Bozman Papers (1961-2004)
Photo of Ellen M. Bozman at her desk.
Ellen M. Bozman at her desk; 1981 campaign brochure.

Bozman's Legacy Is Still Felt In The Arlington Community

Her prior planning experience gave Bozman the skills to help manage development in Metro corridors, allowing apartments, condominiums, single-family dwellings, parks and recreation areas to remain unchanged.

Her civic influence extended beyond her tenure as a board member through participation in various community organizations and governmental bodies. She advocated for controlled development, instituting services for the elderly and children and transparent government.

Photo of Ellen Bozman with Congressman Joe Fisher.

Ellen M. Bozman worked with former Congressman Joseph L. Fisher to get nearly 3 million dollars a year in federal funding for Arlington’s neighborhood conservation program; 1981 campaign brochure.

Photo of Ellen M. Bozman working at her seat on the Arlington County Board; 1970s.

Photo of Ellen M. Bozman working at her seat on the Arlington County Board; 1970s.

Photo of Ellen M. Bozman, attending the groundbreaking ceremony for C&P Telephone, one of the first companies to move into the new Courthouse Plaza in Arlington; 1987.

Ellen M. Bozman, pictured to the right, attends the groundbreaking ceremony for C&P Telephone, one of the first companies to move into the new Courthouse Plaza in Arlington; 1987.

Portrait of Ellen M. Bozman.

The Early Years

Bozman moved to the Arlington area in 1946 and entered civic life through the League of Women Voters, conducting public education campaigns supporting the integration of Arlington Public Schools.

She then served on several county commissions in the 1960s and early 1970s. Bozman was elected to the County Board in 1973 as an Independent, the first woman elected since 1958.

Bozman served from 1974 to 1997 on the Arlington County Board.

Bozman, a six-time board chair with 24 years of public service, is the longest serving Arlington County Board member (1974-1997).

In a time when few women held public leadership roles, she distinguished herself as a passionate leader and pioneer, effective consensus-builder and powerful agent of change.

Ellen M. Bozman featured as one of the "1986 Washingtonians of the year." Washingtonian Magazine, 1987.
Ellen M. Bozman featured as one of the "1986 Washingtonians of the year." Washingtonian Magazine, 1987.

In Her Own Words

“Since I joined the County Board in 1973, Arlington has become a community of rich diversity, expanding opportunities and ever more complex governmental challenges. I know we can meet whatever lies ahead due to the pride that Arlingtonians show for their community and their willingness to help make it better. I am privileged to have been a part of this process.”

Ellen M. Bozman
1985 campaign letter

A Tireless Advocate For Child Care & Affordable Housing

Her early initiatives included improving standards for child care, developing the first nursing homes in Arlington and advocating for tenants’ rights and affordable housing.

She also supported the first Arlington farmers market and Neighborhood Day and co-founded the Alliance for Housing Solutions, which works for affordable housing.

Bozman remained active in the county until her death on January 8, 2009.

Find more information about Ellen M. Bozman by visiting the Charlie Clark Center for Local History. (RG 333: Ellen M. Bozman Papers, 1961-2004)

ArlNow article by Scott McCaffrey (02/04/2025)

 

New April Releases

It’s time to pack your books for spring break! 📗🌸🌷

Peak bloom has officially ended, baseball is underway and whether you’re going to the beach or staying on your couch, it’s time to pack your books for spring break. Luckily, there are some great books out this month to choose from!

Picture it: Miami, 1980s. Four beloved sitcom characters have to solve a murder after Dorothy’s date is found face-down in cheesecake. "Murder by Cheesecake" by Rachel Ekstrom Courage captures the beloved Golden Girls in this cozy mystery series opener.

"The Amalfi Curse" by Sarah Penner features a coven of witches who protect the coast from pirates. When one tries to run away with a sailor, she’s kidnapped by a shipping magnate who wants her power. Two hundred years later, an underwater archaeologist searching for treasure instead finds family secrets and deep magic in this lush and atmospheric tale.

Parenting is hard, even more so when you’re disabled. "Unfit Parent" by Jessica Slice exposes the challenges from trying to find accessible baby equipment to fighting a system that sees disabled parents as fundamentally "unfit." Slice's own experiences and those from other disabled parents demonstrate how the creativity and skill needed to navigate an unjust system can make everyone a better parent.

In early 1944, the German Army marched on Budapest, by summer, they were being bombed by Allied forces, and at the end of the year, the Red Army had the city under siege. The city swirled with spies and refugees, soldiers, everyday people, aristocrats and cabaret singers, before descending into unimaginable carnage, destruction, hate and anarchy. With newly uncovered sources and survivor interviews, "The Last Days of Budapest" by Adam LeBor recreates life in the city during the war.

In "The Pecan Sheller" by Lupe Ruiz-Flores, Petra dreams of college, but after her father suddenly dies, the thirteen-year-old drops out of school and gets a job shelling pecans to make enough money for her family to survive. Faced with terrible conditions and threatened cuts to already meager wages, Petra must decide if she wants to risk her job to join a strike in this middle grade novel based on the 1937’s six-week pecan sheller's strike in San Antonio.

Candace Fleming’s gripping and immersive "Death in the Jungle" introduces teen readers to Jim Jones, the People’s Temple and the tragic murder-suicide of 918 people in the Guyanese jungle. This deeply researched and thoughtful account not only shows what happened, but how and pays particular attention to the stories of the victims and survivors of the families.

Place Your Holds Now!

Celebrate Earth Day With These Great Book Lists.

Find practical guides to living with less waste, sewing techniques for transforming old clothes and how to reduce chemical pollution.

Sustainable Living

Learn about migratory birds, animals from the Kalahari Desert and the geological foundations of the earth with these audio books.

Listening to Nature

Director’s Message: Celebration of All Women

March is designated Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation and honors the contributions of women to our nation’s history.

Photos of Ellen M. Bozman, Margaret Elizabeth Pfohl Campbell, Mary Marshall, Dorothy Hamm and Evelyn Reid Syphax.
From left to right: Ellen M. Bozman, Margaret Elizabeth Pfohl Campbell, Mary Marshall, Dorothy Hamm and Evelyn Reid Syphax.

Our community of Arlington has been enriched by the work of women leaders and activists, whose impact has been felt in civil rights, education, government and human services, and whose names grace our public buildings and spaces: Ellen M. Bozman, Margaret Elizabeth Pfohl Campbell, Mary Marshall, Dorothy Hamm and Evelyn Reid Syphax.

We have been similarly honored to be home for giants of the music industry and note the recent passing of Green Valley resident, the incomparable Roberta Flack.

American singer and pianist Roberta Flack (1973).

The Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery and the Military Women’s Memorial remind us that women have served in the military with courage and distinction.

Arlington government and leadership is committed to work toward a gender equal world, free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world where people live openly and authentically and where difference is appreciated

Photo of participants interacting with vendors during the 2024 Women's Maker Fair at Central Library.
Participants interacting with vendors during the 2024 Women's Maker Fair at Central Library.

Every day, librarians and volunteers at Arlington Public Library open our doors to welcome patrons and community members of all backgrounds. Libraries are third places where all can belong and simply be in community with one another. Places where continuous learning and self-discovery are limitless, and connections with our neighbors are strengthened.

However you identify, be it as a member of the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC community, immigrant or New American—we serve everyone. And we do so through books, library spaces and free programs generously sponsored by the Friends of the Arlington Library (FOAL).

As we commemorate Women's History Month, I am proud Arlington Public Library provides welcoming, inclusive spaces to celebrate and support our collective and varied identities and cultures.

Thank you for your support of Arlington Public Library and for helping us be all we can be for everyone.

Signatue of Library Director Diane Kresh.

Diane Kresh
Director, Arlington Public Library

PS: If you are a reader, here’s a gift (Diane's 2025 Picks) for Women's History Month from me to you.

New March Releases

March is here and that means another month of new book 📖 releases!

Find out how a teen discovers that her family is in the mafia, get inside the brains of four senior assassins who solve a murder and learn how the community of Batavia, New York fought corporate greed to save their minor league baseball team.

Good Stab is a Blackfeet vampire seeking revenge for the atrocities committed against his people. "The Buffalo Hunter Hunter" by Stephen Graham Jones layers narratives over a century, combining historical events with chilling horror while examining themes of identity, guilt and survival.

Retired assassins Billie, Helen, Mary Alice and Natalie are once again pulled back into the game. "Kills Well with Others," Deanna Raybourn’s exhilarating and darkly funny sequel to "Killers of a Certain Age," uncovers a revenge plot tied to a decades-old mission stretching back to WWII.

When Major League Baseball eliminated 42 minor league teams in 2020, the community of Batavia, New York didn’t let go of their beloved Muckdogs without a fight. They revived the team as a summer league for college players and in "Homestand," journalist Will Bardenwerper captures the eccentric fans, passionate locals and the bittersweet clash between corporate greed and grassroots love for the game in small town America.

Historian and herbalist Charlotte Taylor Fryar uses the Potomac River as a lens to explore America’s racial and colonial past, highlighting gentrification, environmental degradation and systemic inequality. "Potomac Fever" is both a love letter to the river and a sharp critique of American myth.

Middle-grade readers will be drawn to "Whale Eyes," a memoir by James Robinson, illustrated by Brian Rea. The interactive visuals and imaginative design—with changing fonts and words traveling across the page requiring the book to be physically turned on its side and upside down—portray Robinson’s life with strabismus, a condition that affects eye alignment and perception.

Teen readers will be swept up in the action-packed enemies-to-lovers mafia romance, "In the Company of Killers" by Elora Cook. When Tasha’s father and sister are murdered, she discovers that she’s inherited control of New York’s most powerful mob family, but to find the killer, she must team up with Leo, her former best friend and heir to a rival family.

Place Your Holds Now!

More Book Lists to Explore

Diane's 2025 Picks
Recent Irish Fiction






















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