Young's articles published in Encyclopedia of African American History

Courtney L. Young, associate librarian and associate professor of women's studies at Penn State Beaver, has had five articles published in the "Encyclopedia of African American History 1896 to the Present: From the Age of Segregation to the Twenty-First Century," published this year by the Oxford University Press.

Young’s first article focused on the role of African American astronauts in the U.S. space program, including Robert Henry Lawrence, Jr., Guion S. Bluford, Jr., Frederick Gregory, Ronald E. McNair, Mae Jemison, Isaac T. Gillam IV, and Charles F. Bolden, Jr.

Young’s other articles were about Octavia Butler, an award-winning science fiction author; actress Pam Grier’s role in challenging stereotypical representations of black women in film; Jemison, the first African American woman in space and a professor of environmental studies at Dartmouth College; and an Andrew D. White, professor at large at Cornell University. Young’s fifth article was on Dorothy Porter, a pioneer of librarianship in African American history and studies in the United States and the first African American to earn a library degree from Columbia University.

Young is a member of the American Library Association (ALA) executive board. She began a three-year term in July. She has been a member of ALA since 2002 and has served as the New Members Round Table Councilor (2005-2008) and has served as Councilor-at-Large since 2008. She is an active member of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) and serves on several ACRL committees and the New Members Round Table where she is vice-president/president-elect.

Young is a graduate of the College of Wooster and holds a master’s degree from Simmons College.

For information, contact Young at cly11@psu.edu or 724-773-3796.