Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks
Many Memphis children can attest to the sense of thrill when stepping foot in the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library. The lofty ceilings radiate light, seeming to open endless doors of possibility, while the airy space gives room for one’s imagination to soar. Many have made fond memories of finding a cozy corner in the children’s section and getting lost in a book. It is only fitting that such a center for dreaming and learning is named for one of Memphis’ most beloved heroes.
Above and Beyond
Benjamin L. Hooks embodied ideals of perseverance and determination, hard work and conviction. A true Memphis local, Hooks was born in 1925 to a middle class family that emphasized the importance of education and excellence. After a few years at LeMoyne College, Hooks joined the Army during the tumult of World War II. He then transferred to Howard University and earned his J.D. degree from DePaul University in 1948. Following his graduation, Hooks continually shattered the proverbial glass ceiling, making many groundbreaking achievements. He was appointed as the first African-American criminal court judge in Tennessee. Later, he became the first black man to serve on the Federal Communications Commission in 1972.
In Pursuit of Equality
Benjamin L. Hooks alongside Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1959
However, Hooks desired to forge a legacy that exceeded personal achievements in his own career. Despite his elite education and overwhelming successes, Hooks faced the same discrimination and policies of segregation as the rest of the African-American community in the mid-20th century. His experiences of injustice and exclusion shaped his resolve to use his influence to fight for equality and justice. Hooks fought alongside civil rights icons in the 1950s and 1960s, organizing some of the first local sit-ins and boycotts. He was certainly a son of that noble generation of pioneers and advocates. Dr. Martin Luther King even invited him to serve on the Board of Directors for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
Later in life, Hooks was elected as the Executive Director of the NAACP, a position in which he faithfully served for 15 years from 1977-1992. Despite the increasing obstruction from hostile groups that were resistant to the victories of the civil rights movement, Hooks maintained his resolve to seek the welfare and advancement of African Americans in the U.S. throughout his tenure.
For the Next Generation
The Memphis Central Library is indeed a beautiful tribute to Benjamin Hooks’ robust legacy. Memphians of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds lay claim to the wealth of opportunity found in literature, gathering in a common sanctuary to seek inspiration and dream for the future.
President George W. Bush
"For 15 years, Dr. Hooks was a calm, yet forceful voice, for fairness, opportunity, and personal responsibility. He never tired or faltered in demanding that our nation live up to its founding ideals of liberty and equality. His testimony had special power: for the words that he spoke and for the example that he set as a man of decency and rectitude.”
Photos via Digital Archive of Memphis Public Libraries and Whitehouse Archives.