Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library

The Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library is a branch of the Denver Public Library in Denver, Colorado, in the United States that serves the Five Points neighborhood. It is also a research library with collections focusing on the history of African Americans in Denver and the American West. The library was conceived by Denver's first African American mayor, Wellington Webb, and his wife Wilma Webb, who observed that the history of African-Americans in Denver and the American West was under-represented. The library was envisioned in 1999 and designated the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library in honor of Omar Blair, the first black president of the Denver school board, and Elvin Caldwell, the first black city council member. Ground breaking occurred in early 2002.The 40,000 square foot library contains three floors: The first level is a full-service branch library of the Denver Public Library with an entry gallery and exhibition areas; conference, meeting, and study rooms; and a collection of more than 35,000 books, magazines, and audiovisual materials in English and Spanish. The second level houses collection archives and a research library including video and audio histories and listening and viewing areas; papers and doctoral theses on microfilm; a research area and study space; archival storage space; and a gallery for programs by musicians, artists, and scholars. The third level is a museum that houses exhibits about the history of African Americans in Denver and in the Western United States. The exhibits include the desk that Wellington Webb used during his term as Denver's mayor.