Wright decided to document and share her memoir because she saw a need for books about and by the youth involved in the Civil Rights Movement and the 1960s protests in Greenville, S.C. As one of those youth, Wright shares her experiences in “The (W)right Thing” and discusses how they have impacted her life. “If we don’t know history, the old adage goes we might relive it,” she pointed out. 

She wrote with the goal of producing a book that would be approachable for many readers. “I didn’t want it to be arduous to read. I wanted it to be easy to read, to share what really shaped me,” she said. After carefully considering how to tell her story best, “I wrote until it felt right.” 

Wright has always had a strong sense of community and a keen sense of justice. As a high school sophomore, Wright served as president of the Greenville NAACP Youth Council and was active in many local protests. “My story is timely, given that one first big move of defying unjust laws and ordinances was a sit-in at the library,” Wright explained. 

At that time, Greenville had segregated libraries that did not offer identical services. The library for Black patrons had no reference materials and anything needed had to be requested and delivered from the library for white patrons. Wright and others saw the inequality of this, as the work of Black students and researchers was negatively impacted by the lack of readily available reference materials. 

The social action worked in the long run, and Greenville’s library was desegregated. This was a victory for Wright and other Youth Council members.

“Libraries are the mecca, as far as I’m concerned, for learning,” Wright said. “Libraries are more than just books.” She cited the many services libraries offer, from access to the internet to quiet places to study and research. “The library is always there,” she said.

Wright’s public service has continued throughout her life. She has collected turtles for decades and she wears one every day because “you only move ahead by sticking your neck out… My basic philosophy is that you have to take risks.”

It is this philosophy that propels Wright even today. She had business cards made that identify her as a “provocateur.” Considering the word means “one who incites or stimulates another to action,” it’s an apt description. Wright is well known locally for her regular attendance at Rowan County Commissioner and City of Salisbury meetings, and she is active with various boards and other groups. “I attend because [these meetings] affect people’s lives,” she said. 

Wright said that she provokes to help others to be and do their best. “It doesn’t matter how minute the fight is, if you believe and stand up for it.” 

Her awareness of how communities are constructed by laws and rules extends to include a love of politics, as in how the power structures in our society operate and not political parties. “Everything we do in life is governed by politics,” she pointed out, giving the examples of how birth and death certificates and even stoplights are political – all being things that govern identity and behavior.

Accordingly, Wright is a big fan of television news and information programs. “I work full-time for MSNBC and part-time for CNN,” she joked.

In writing her memoir, Wright had the opportunity to reflect and see how her experiences have shaped her. “Life is very much like a quilt,” she shared. “We take all kinds of pieces and fit them together, weaving the fabric together to make it beautiful, warm, and comforting to look at…that’s what we do.” And as Wright pieces together her metaphorical quilt, she never forgets one central lesson: “Life is short and fragile, and I [remember] that foremost in how I deal with people.” 

Supporting people and seeking to contribute positively to the lives of others is something that the Friends of RPL and Wright have in common. The Friends of RPL is a volunteer nonprofit that supports many RPL events and programs, including Summer Reading events and activities for all ages, the annual Stories by the Millstream festival that introduces all Rowan County second-graders to the power of storytelling, the annual Millstream Family Storytime, and more.

To provide this vital support, Friends of RPL members volunteer their time and energy to fundraise. A primary fundraiser is their Second Saturday Bookshop, which is located in the West End Plaza and open every second Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All four RPL branches host an ongoing book sale, literary basket sale, and DVD and book rentals that feature recent releases. The Friends of RPL also hosts a yearly book sale that features discarded items from RPL’s collections. Friends volunteers propel all of these initiatives, including sorting and organizing donations, staffing and stocking the Bookshop, and other projects. 

Membership dues also aid the friends of RPL in their efforts. In addition to supporting Library endeavors, the benefits of a Friends membership include admission to the 2023 Annual Meeting, volunteer opportunities, community engagement, admission to the annual Friends book sale’s preview night, admission to special preview sales at the Second Saturday Bookshop, a monthly newsletter, and more. Though volunteering is encouraged, membership in the Friends doesn’t carry a service requirement; members choose their level of involvement and activity. 

For more information about the May 4 Friends of RPL Annual Meeting or to become a Friend of Rowan Public Library, visit www.rowanpubliclibrary.org or www.friendsofrpl.org or call 704-216-8240 or

AAPI Survey Available

The Organization of Chinese Americans — Asian Pacific American Advocates — is currently hosting a survey seeking input from Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) people concerning  digital access among this subgroup of American citizens. 

All people who identify as AAPI are encouraged to take the online survey, which only takes three to five minutes to complete. Participants who take the survey will be entered for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card.

To learn more about the OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates or take the digital access survey, visit bit.ly/aapiDAS.

Episode Six of RPL Podcast Now Streaming

In conjunction with RPL’s Star Party in April, Episode 6 of Come Gather ‘Round Good People examined two English folk songs “starring” two very popular celestial bodies: the sun and the moon. The song "The Man in the Moon" can be found in The Saloon Visitor’s Companion from the early 1800s. The party tune "Jolly Old Sun" dates from the 1830s. Sing along as we put our spin on these two skyward-facing melodies. Visit the RPL Soundcloud channel at bit.ly/RPLSoundCloud to stream this episode and others.

Come Gather ‘Round Good People is a quarterly podcast dedicated to informing listeners about the stories behind featured folk songs with a local, regional, or state-wide connection. Each episode concludes with a musical performance.  

Amanda Brill, Young Adult Librarian

I recently finished reading Henry Hamlet's Heart by Rhiannon Wilde. In the story, an Australian teen is in his final year of high school and nervous about what the future holds for him. He’s popular and captain of the debate team, but he is also a neurotic mess compared to his enigmatic best friend, Len. Set in 2008, the book is filled with references I can remember from my own senior year of high school in the mid- to late-aughts.

Henry Hamlet’s Heart is a sweet and sappy coming-of-age story about what happens when you fall in love with your best friend. So many people can relate to Henry’s awkwardness around other people and the camaraderie with his friends and family. This YA title is a fun winner of a read!

Sandra Jackson, Children's Services Associate

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