Alma Harrod Powell

Beloved Storyteller

The library has always been a special place for both children and adults looking to plunge into the folds of a gripping story. For children, exposure to a well-told story has been proven to enrich their hungry, growing minds, and often leads to the development of an adult with a life-long love of reading. One such storyteller who could spin an enthralling yarn was Alma H. Powell (1906-1967), a longtime employee of the Kalamazoo Public Schools and Public Library.

Alma Harrod was born in Benton Harbor, Michigan, in 1906. Little is known of her early years, but she spent most of her life in Kalamazoo. At the age of 14, Alma and her mother, Mary Harrod, lived with her uncle and aunt. Her mother was born in the West Indies and her father in Mexico according to census records.

Alma’s mother passed away in April of 1920 and is buried in Niles, Michigan. Alma’s teen years were spent living with her Uncle John and Aunt Maudy Hayes. According to her daughter Grace, Uncle John prepared her to be strong and resilient in the face of life’s difficulties and obstacles. Alma attended Kalamazoo Public Schools, graduating in 1926 from Kalamazoo Central High School.

“We know that she is full of good nature. Chorus 3; Household Arts club 4”

– Delphian, 1926 Kalamazoo Central High School yearbook

It appears that shortly after graduating, she married Floyd Powell in Cass County, where Floyd and his family resided. Sometime during the 1930s she became employed as a domestic laborer at the home at 1405 Long Road. The Orchard Hills home was owned by Harry D. and Grace L. Firth. Firth had established the Kalamazoo Loan Company and later, the Fidelity Loan Company. It was while working for the Firth’s that Alma developed her love of African artifacts. Upon returning from Africa and other countries, Mrs. Firth would gift Alma masks, wood carvings and daggers. Years later, Alma’s personal collection was highlighted in a 1964 profile in the Kalamazoo Gazette, when Alma spoke of her affection for non-Western art.

By the 1940 census, Alma had given birth to two daughters (Grace and Susan), and was residing at 1012 Bridge Street, her home for the rest of her life. Powell would use her home as a boarding house to make extra money, often housing black musicians on tour or Pullman Porters working for the railroad. Restricted from using local hotels, Alma’s Bridge Street home provided a place for African Americans to lodge and access a warm meal.

“When you read a book, it opens up your imagination. Stories meet the child’s need to attach himself to something familiar. Children like repetition. Children crave new experiences.”

– Western Herald, 28 February 1990

In 1946 Alma was hired by the Kalamazoo Public Schools (Kalamazoo Public Library then operated under the Board of Education), working at the Lincoln School as a library assistant. Two years earlier, the library had established a six week “library apprentice course.” Of the ten applicants chosen for the program, Alma Powell was accepted. Circulating throughout the various school libraries within the district, Powell eventually found a position at the Eastside Neighborhood Branch, where she became a beloved figure, hosting a popular Saturday morning story-time program for children.

Her success at connecting children with literature and a love of reading was recognized in 1957, when Powell received a citation of excellence award from the Michigan Library Association. Not only a skilled storyteller, Powell recognized the importance of showing children a diversity of different kinds of literature, notably books written by and about African Americans. She would often read the poetry of Paul Lawrence Dunbar and Langston Hughes to the children. Powell’s personal papers, which constitute the bulk of the Alma Powell Collection, reveals an insatiable curiosity and passion for the world beyond Kalamazoo. Despite being known for her work with children, Powell also spent time working in the public museum.

After her death in 1967, Powell’s legacy and contributions to the community became even more woven into the educational history of Kalamazoo when she was selected for the name of the Northside branch library. In December 1971, the Alma Powell Branch Library was opened to library patrons at 702 N. Burdick Street. While other, more nationally notable individuals were considered for the branch’s moniker, it was decided instead to focus locally on individuals who made a positive impact on the lives of children.

Written by Ryan Gage, Kalamazoo Public Library staff, December 2024