Barbara Clark Elam | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 10, 1929 |
| Died | May 7, 2017 |
Barbara Aileen Clark Elam was born in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, MA. [1] She earned her master's degree from Simmons College in 1949 and became a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Omega Chapter. [2]
Elam worked in literacy and education as a librarian at the New York Public Library, the Boston Public Library and as a member of the Massachusetts Black Librarians Association. [3] She was Librarian-in-charge of the Boston Public Schools Library Program in Dorchester. [4] She was elected as a voting library delegate from Massachusetts to the White House Conference on Library and Information Science. [4]
As a member of Freedom House, she promoted educational equity and economic opportunities for Black, Brown, and immigrant youth across Boston. [5] An advocate for mental health, she served as president of the Massachusetts Mental Health Association, advocating for the establishment of the Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller Center. [6]
Elam was also involved in the Boston Women's Heritage Trail, which celebrated the contributions of women throughout history. [7]
In 2023, she was recognized as one of "Boston’s most admired, beloved, and successful Black Women leaders" by the Black Women Lead project. [8] [9]
Barbara was an active member of St. Mark Congregational Church in Boston. [10] She met her husband, Judge Harry J. Elam Sr., at the church in 1950. [10] She has a daughter. [11]