Aurora Reading Club of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) proudly present a tribute celebration honoring the legacy of the late Vivian Davidson Hewitt on Saturday, December 3, 2022, at 11 am in the CLP – Homewood Auditorium. Members of Aurora, CLP, family, friends, and the general public are welcome to attend the presentation honoring Hewitt, who died on May 29, 2022, at the age of 102. As a member of Aurora for 75 years and holding the distinction of being the first Black librarian employed by Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Hewitt is being recognized as a trailblazer in Pittsburgh, nationally and internationally.

Event details
Saturday, December 3, 2022 at 11 am
CLP – Homewood Auditorium
7101 Hamilton Avenue, 15208

Aurora was organized in 1894.  The club’s purpose is to pursue a systematic course of study…for the mutual improvement of the members in literature, art, science and matters relating to vital interests of the day. “Vivian’s legacy as the first Black librarian in the Carnegie Library of system, seven decades later, is still making an impact. Her participation and contributions to Aurora throughout her 75-year membership expressed her true commitment to her interest in reading and the arts,” said Nadine Banks, President of Aurora.  “Many members of Aurora, like Vivian, are making their mark in Pittsburgh. It’s important that we acknowledge and celebrate our contribution to Pittsburgh’s history.”

“Vivian Davidson Hewitt lived a life that embodied knowledge and education,” said Andrew Medlar, President and Director of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. “We are honored that her legacy remains a part of our Library’s long-standing history.”

Born February 17, 1920, in New Castle, PA, Hewitt loved books and libraries from a young age, having a library card as soon as she could print her name. She graduated from Geneva College in 1943 and then attended Carnegie Library School at Carnegie Institute of Technology, now known as Carnegie Mellon University, earning her Bachelor of Science Degree in Library Science in 1944. Hewitt is recognized by both Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh as an alumna. Upon graduation, Hewitt, who was an intern at the Wylie Avenue Branch, was employed as a librarian by Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) in 1944, serving in the Hill District, before moving to the Homewood Branch in 1947.

After leaving her position at CLP in 1949, she moved to Atlanta where she worked at Clark Atlanta University and where she met her husband, John H. Hewitt, a professor at Morehouse College. She went on to serve as librarian for The Rockefeller Foundation and then for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. In 1978, Hewitt became the first Black president of the Special Libraries Association, a global nonprofit.

Hewitt received a number of awards during her career. She was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Citation from the University of Pittsburgh-Carnegie Library School Alumni Association, Merit Award from Carnegie Mellon University, and the L.H.D. from Geneva College. In addition to being recognized by her alma maters, she was recognized by the American Library Association, and in 1984 she was inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame. In 2016, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain bestowed the title of Dame upon Hewitt for her work in the service of humanity. In 2017, Hewitt received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at Carnegie Mellon University’s 120th Commencement. Over the course of more than 50 years, Hewitt and her husband amassed a significant collection of art, and a large part of that collection, known as the John & Vivian Hewitt Collection of African-American Art, is now permanently housed at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Her autobiography, The One and Only: Vivian Ann Davidson Hewitt is available in the Library’s collection. A book describing her art collection, Instill & Inspire: The John & Vivian Hewitt collection of African-American Art, also is available. 

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