Visitors at any of Cambridge’s seven public libraries will have something extra to read inside their books this month. The library partnered with thePresident of the Cambridge Black History Project James Spencer is the fifth generation of his family to grow up in the city. He remembers the Cambridge Public Library as a place where he got his first library card at the age of five and then, as he grew older, where he went to read up on local history.
Paula Paris is one of the volunteers who helped research and write the trailblazers’ biographies. She said that as much as she was familiar with many of the names, the research led her to new and exciting discoveries. She recounts the story of, a seamstress born in 1874 with a passion for cycling. “There's actually a bike trail in East Cambridge's Kendall Square area that's named after her,” Paris said. “She was a cyclist, and she was scandalized for wearing bloomers.
The bookmarks include footnotes citing sources, so if people want to learn more beyond what could fit in a condensed biography they can find other materials. People can also find more information on each trailblazer on thein Cambridge. They recently received a grant from MassHumanities to continue their oral history work with 25 additional interviews which will also be archived and available to visitors at the Cambridge Public Library.