The naming of the BCC Library celebrates a multigenerational legacy of leadership and justice, honoring Hill alongside the broader contributions of her family, including her great-grandfather, Rev. Samuel Harrison, who was the first minister of the Second Congregational Church in Pittsfield and a prolific writer on racial justice. Her mother, Florence Edmonds, overcame racial barriers in nursing and is an important part of the oral history of the Berkshires.
From Berkshire Community College:
“Hill was ultimately selected for the following:
- Direct connection to BCC and library work: Hill was a lifelong librarian and worked at the Berkshire Athenaeum, North Adams State College and Berkshire Community College before joining the Schlesinger Library at Harvard. She had a career rooted in librarianship and education, making her a particularly fitting namesake for a library.
- Strong local roots with statewide impact: Born in Pittsfield, Hill represents someone who invested deeply in the Berkshire community while achieving national recognition for her work in oral history and storytelling. Born into a lineage of trailblazers in Berkshire County, Hill was part of a local family of great activism and impact.
- Power of storytelling: Hill demonstrated a lifelong commitment to literacy, education and historical preservation — core functions of a library. A pioneer of the oral history movement, she supervised and developed several oral history exhibitions and book projects, including the Black Women Oral History Project in 1977.
- Programming and curricular opportunities: Hill’s life and professional contributions, combined with her family history, provide extensive opportunities for curricular, co-curricular and community engagement opportunities and collaborations with other organizations.
- Relatable and inspiring role model: As a Black woman scholar and librarian, Hill’s name reflects BCC’s mission, vision and values and adds to the diversity among building names at the College. Internal and external feedback highlighted that honoring a local librarian with direct ties to the College elevates an often underrecognized profession and provides a powerful role model with which students can identify and connect.”
A celebratory event will be held in March, 2027.
Above: BCC Library Director Richard Felver walks past the new lettering on the east side of the building the day it was installed.