Ruth Brown (librarian)

Ruth Winifred Brown (July 26, 1891 – September 10, 1975) was an American librarian, best known for her dismissal from service for civil rights activities in the late 1940s. On July 25, 1950, she was dismissed after 30 years of service as the Bartlesville, Oklahoma public librarian. She was relieved of her duties in 1950 on the accusation that she was a communist because of her desegregation activities. She was accused of providing subversive materials to the public and indoctrinating children against the United States; however, it was widely believed at the time that her dismissal was in response to her activities promoting the equality of African-Americans.