Bessie Moore

Background

Bessie Boehm Moore was born August 2, 1902 in Owensboro, Kentucky but grew up near Mountain View, Arkansas.

Career

She was a lifelong advocate to increase funding and support for libraries and served on the Arkansas Library Commission for 38 years. In 1999, American Libraries named her one of the "100 Most Important Leaders We Had in the 20th Century". Early life and education

At age 14, she earned a teaching certificate.

She earned a Bachelor in education from the Arkansas State Teachers College in 1942.

She gained respect in the educational community and although she held no office as of this time officials invited her to their councils and invited her to speak. At the early age of 24, she was on the National Committee for the Sesquicentennial Celebration of the United States.

In 1934, she was appointed as Supervisor of Nursery Schools, then appointed as the Supervisor for Elementary Education of Arkansas in 1939 until 1944. In 1963, Bessie was chosen to chair the Ozark Folk Center Commission in Mountain View, Arkansas.

The Center was the only one of its kind.

In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson granted her membership to the National Advisory Commission on Libraries in 1965. "The Arkansas State Council on Economic Education formed in 1962 with Bessie as the Executive Director from 1962-1979."

On the council she served as vice Chairman Emeritus. This list included the University of Michigan, University of Nebraska, Florida State University, University of Arizona, and the University of South Florida.

Death and afterward

Bessie Boehm Moore died on October 24, 1995.

Several organizations and awards are named in her honor:

The Bessie B. Moore Center for Economic Education, established in 1978 at the University of Arkansas, gives the Bessie Moore Award annually to an outstanding economic educator in the United States. 1996 was the only year that her scholarship was not awarded. lieutenant was resumed in 2000.

The Mountain View Public Library in Mountain View, Arkansas, was renamed the Bessie B. Moore Public Library in her honor on August 1, 1992.

Achievements

• 1952: Arkansas Woman of the Year 1958: Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of Arkansas 1959: Civil Engineer Palmer Distinguished Service Award (Moore remains the only woman to have ever received that award) 1977: Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of Arizona. 1989: Distinguished Lifetime Service Award, NCLIS. National Distinguished Award, Joint Council of Economic Education of New New York

Membership

From 1972-1988 she was a member of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science for three consecutive presidents, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan. She holds a special place as one of the five honorary members of the University of Michigan Library School Alumni Association.