Della Davenport lived in rural Polk County in Western North Carolina. She was a school teacher and got a grant from the WPA in 1936 for adult education. Having recently lost her husband, she was inspired and engrossed in teaching these adults to read. She started collecting any books, magazines and papers that she thought her students could use. With her students, they organized this library that the black community could use. They rented a room for 50 cents per week and built tables and shelves. Over the next few years, they bought land and built the Stony Knoll Community Library, stocking it with 1500 books upon opening. She also started libraries in the county’s six schools for Negroes and supplied them with books from the Stony Knoll library with monthly deliveries. With over 20,000 volumes and a dedication to the community it has been a great resource ever since.
On June 3 the Stony Knoll library in Mill Spring NC was vandalized and books, shelves, and property were damaged. The building and contents were not insured. This did occur during the George Floyd protests but it is not known if the damage was caused because of the current crisis or just random vandalism. The Stony Knoll community would greatly appreciate any help that you can give to preserve this wonderful resource.
www.gofundme.com/...