H69.455.1

late 19th c.
43 in|40 in WIDE
(109.22 cm|101.60 cm WIDE)
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Emparan
H69.455.1


Shawl. Description: Black silk embroidered shawl with fringe; once belonged to Ina Coolbrith Dimensions: 43" x 40" Disposition: Rm. 100 - New Bldg. 5/12/1992 ss/ibm: Probably a table shawl Bibliography: The Beginnings of Oakland, California, A.U. C. by Peter Thomas Conmy;Oakland Public Library, 1961. Ina Donna Coolbrith, librarian and poet, was born in Nauvoo, Illinois, March 10, 1842. This town was the site of the Mormon Massacre, and her father, Don Carlos Smith, was a younger brother of Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon Church. As the daughter of Don Carlos and Agnes Coolbrith Smith, the child was properly christened Josephine Smith. Because of her father's death in the massacre she feared identification with her family, and throughout a long life went by her mother's maiden name. Her mother re-married and in 1852 they came to California. She was educated in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and early in life showed great literary promise. In time she became one of the great writers of California, and by action of the legislature on April 21, 1915 was declared "Loved Laurel-Crowned Poet of California." In 1874 she became librarian of the Oakland Reading Room Association and was continued in office when the city took over the institution in 1878, serving until 1893. Then followed a number of years as librarian of the Mercantile Library in San Francisco, after which she devoted herself entirely to literary efforts. The influence which Librarian Coolbrith had on the development of Jack London is well known. Ina Coolbrith died on February 29, 1928.

Used: Ina Coolbrith

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