Friday, February 10, 2012

George (Ray) Mitchell, 1934-2012


George ‘Ray' Mitchell, 77: Dedicated life to libraries, reading. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2/10/2012)

Excerpt:  Inspired by his mother, a civil rights activist in Atlanta during the turbulent 1960s, George "Ray" Mitchell took a courageous stand in 1971 in the South Georgia library district where he was newly hired. “

"There was a sign that advertised story hours. He put another sign up saying, everyone is welcome at the library,” said Mr. Mitchell’s daughter, Sarah Yates of Savannah. 

Mrs. Yates said she and her siblings were not told the details of what happened next, “but I know at the board level and in the community, he stood them down – my father was very strong. First of all he was 6-foot-4, a tremendous person to be in the presence of. He was not much for words. But they knew he meant it, and no one fought it in the end.

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