Carnegie Library (Old Wilberforce University Campus)
Why it's listed
Built in 1907 with a gift from Andrew Carnegie, this brick and stone library served Wilberforce University until the early 1980s. It is a one-story Classical Revival building with a basement, a pedimented entrance frontispiece, limestone-trimmed windows and brick chimneys. A 1936 addition added rectangular bays on each side for more stacks and reading space. Fundraising by educator and activist Hallie Q. Brown helped the university build its first library. By the 1930s the collection exceeded 10,500 volumes, including the papers of Daniel Payne and William S. Scarborough. The building survived the 1947 split that created Central State University and the 1974 tornado. It is one of only three historic buildings left on the Wilberforce and Central State campuses, Ohio's only historically Black colleges, and one of about nine Carnegie libraries built on such campuses after 1900. It now holds the administrative offices, archives and research library of the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion A for Education and Ethnic Heritage (Black). It is one of only three historic buildings still standing on the Wilberforce and Central State campuses, Ohio's only HBCUs, and one of about nine Carnegie libraries built on HBCU campuses after 1900. It is also tied to Hallie Q. Brown's fundraising for the university's first library.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 04000610, listed June 16, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1400 Brush Row Rd., Wilberforce |
|---|---|
| County | Greene County |
| Listed | June 16, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000610 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1907-1953 |
| Architect / builder | David Riebel (some evidence, not confirmed) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Black |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently serves as the library and administrative offices of the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center; the cornice and pediment were altered in 1986 and 2003. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.71760, -83.88189 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 04000610.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q89014706
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.