Virginia Young Lee

Virginia Dare Young Lee was a librarian at the Gainsboro Branch Library in Roanoke, Virginia. Lee earned recognition for her advocacy for Black literature during the Harlem Renaissance and for mentorship of young librarians in Virginia.

Early life and education

Virginia Dare Young was born on November 22, 1906, in McComas, West Virginia, to Robert D. Young and Lula B. Young. She was raised in Roanoke, Virginia and attended Lucy Addison High School where she graduated as class Valedictorian in 1924. Lee graduated from the Hampton Institute's School of Library Science.

Career

Following graduation Lee worked at LeMoyne Junior College and Gilmer School in Roanoke, Virginia.
In 1928, Lee became the fourth librarian of the Gainsboro Branch Library of Roanoke Public Libraries. The Gainsboro Branch was one of the first libraries in the South for Black citizens.
While working at the Gainsboro Branch, Lee grew the libraries' collection of Black literature. She wrote to prominent African Americans such as George Washington Carver, Marian Anderson, and Paul R. Williams, soliciting biographies, sheet music, photographs, and other materials to build the collection.
When city officials demanded Lee dispose of the collection in the mid-1940s, she moved the collection to the basement of the library and continued to collect and distribute the books in secret.
In 2023, a historic marker was dedicated to the Gainsboro Branch Library by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

Personal life and legacy

Lee was married to Loyd Alexander Lee, a secretary, but later divorced.
Lee died on January 11, 1992, in Roanoke, Virginia and was buried at Williams Memorial Park.
In 2025, Lee was awarded the Strong Men & Women in Virginia History honoree, by the Library of Virginia and Dominion Energy.