Paul Laurence Dunbar Lancaster-Kiest Branch Library
🏢 Dallas Public Library · Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas
Paul Laurence Dunbar Lancaster-Kiest Branch Library
Carrying forward the legacy of Dallas's first African-American library — founded in 1931 in Freedman's Town and reborn at Oak Cliff in 1964 — the Paul Laurence Dunbar Lancaster-Kiest Branch Library honors the pioneering Black poet in a nearly 18,000-square-foot community anchor graced with mosaic tile quilts and a commemorative brick walkway.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 9am–5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–5pm |
| Thursday | 9am–8pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–4pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 2008 East Kiest Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75216
Phone: (214) 670-1952
Website: dallaslibrary.org
Plus Code: 8645P675+WQ (Dallas, TX)
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📖 About Paul Laurence Dunbar Lancaster-Kiest Branch Library
The Paul Laurence Dunbar Lancaster-Kiest Branch Library traces its roots to June 1931, when Dallas opened its first library for African-American residents at the corner of Thomas and Worthington in the Freedman's Town neighborhood of North Dallas. Named for the celebrated Black poet, novelist, and playwright Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906), the branch served a segregated community barred from the Carnegie Library downtown and operated for 28 years until Central Expressway construction displaced the surrounding neighborhood. The Dallas Public Library Board of Trustees reopened the branch at the corner of Lancaster Road and Kiest Boulevard in 1964 as the South Oak Cliff Branch Library and officially renamed it the Paul Laurence Dunbar Lancaster-Kiest Branch Library in April 1968, preserving the branch's historic identity. The current nearly 18,000-square-foot facility, opened in spring 2006 across from Oliver W. Holmes Middle School, was commissioned with a distinctive five-panel ceramic tile "spirit quilt" series titled "Fulfilling the Dream Along District Line" — designed by Dallas artist and professor Earline M. Green and fired in 240 white stoneware tiles weighing 1,300 pounds total — plus a Paul Laurence Dunbar Brick walkway at the entrance. Today the branch offers 20 public computers, free Wi-Fi, meeting rooms for community use, weekly story time, and a full suite of digital resources through TexShare, Libby, and Hoopla.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Carries the legacy of Dallas's first African-American public library, originally opened in Freedman's Town in June 1931 — the only branch of the Dallas Public Library then open to Black residents
- Renamed in honor of Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906), the first African-American poet to achieve national and international literary recognition, author of "We Wear the Mask" and "Sympathy"
- Distinctive five-panel ceramic tile "spirit quilt" mosaic at the entrance — "Fulfilling the Dream Along District Line" — designed by Dallas artist and professor Earline M. Green; 240 stoneware tiles, 1,300 lbs total
- Nearly 18,000 sq ft facility opened spring 2006 with 20 public computers, free Wi-Fi, reservable meeting rooms (Classroom A & B, capacity 48), and a Paul Laurence Dunbar Brick walkway
- TexShare member: free statewide databases, Libby eBooks/audiobooks, Hoopla streaming, and Genealogy/Dallas & Texas History databases all available free with a Dallas library card
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Dallas cardholders access books, films, and research databases free through the library's digital collection and the statewide TexShare network:
📚 Services
- 20 public computers with internet access, word processing, and printing
- Free Wi-Fi throughout the branch
- Reservable meeting room — Classroom A & B (23' x 60', capacity 48, whiteboards included) for nonprofits, individuals, and community groups
- Free Dallas Public Library card for Dallas County residents (online and in-person application)
- TexShare card for reciprocal borrowing at participating Texas libraries
- HELP Desk: referral connections to shelter, housing assistance, employment resources, and community services
- Designated cooling center during Dallas heat emergencies
- Interlibrary loan through the Dallas Public Library system
🎸 Programs
- Weekly Story Time — interactive early-literacy sessions for young children (stories, songs, and crafts)
- 1000 Books Before Kindergarten — milestone tracking program with prizes every 100 books completed
- SMART Summer — annual summer reading and learning challenge for children and teens
- Express Yourself! — youth poetry competition and cover art contest
- Fairy Tale Closet — free formal wear for prom attendees
- Coffee & Conversation, Artful Fridays, and Game Days — community social programs
📍 Nearby Dallas Public Library Branches
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Paul Laurence Dunbar, and why is this Dallas branch named after him?
Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906) was born in Dayton, Ohio, to two formerly enslaved parents, and became the first African-American poet to gain national and international literary recognition. The son of a Civil War veteran, he was the only Black student in his graduating class and served as class president and class poet. His works — including "We Wear the Mask," "Sympathy," and "Lyrics of Lowly Life" — explored the African-American experience in both standard English and dialect verse. Dallas named the branch in his honor because the library's roots reach back to 1931, when it opened as the only Dallas Public Library branch that welcomed Black residents during segregation. The Dallas Public Library Board of Trustees officially adopted the name Paul Laurence Dunbar Lancaster-Kiest Branch Library in April 1968.
What is the history of the original Dunbar Branch Library in Dallas?
The original Paul Laurence Dunbar Branch opened in June 1931 at the northwest corner of Thomas and Worthington streets in the Freedman's Town neighborhood of North Dallas — the first and, at the time, only Dallas Public Library branch open to African-American residents, since the downtown Carnegie Library was expressly off-limits to non-white patrons. Designed by Dallas architects Ralph Bryan and Walter Sharp in brick and reinforced concrete, the branch served the community for 28 years as a cultural and civic gathering place before closing in 1959 due to population displacement from Central Expressway construction. The South Oak Cliff Branch Library opened at the Kiest/Lancaster intersection in 1964 and was renamed in April 1968 to honor the Dunbar legacy.
What is the "spirit quilt" mosaic at the library entrance?
The five-panel ceramic tile installation titled "Fulfilling the Dream Along District Line" was commissioned by the Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs in 2002 and created by Dallas artist and professor Earline M. Green. Green fired 240 white stoneware tiles — totaling 1,300 pounds — to produce the series of spirit quilts depicting Paul Laurence Dunbar and other celebrated African Americans. The mosaic greets visitors at the entrance of the current 18,000-square-foot facility, which opened in spring 2006, and remains one of the most distinctive public artworks in the Oak Cliff neighborhood.
Can community groups use the meeting rooms at the Lancaster-Kiest branch?
Yes. The branch has a reservable Classroom A & B (23 feet by 60 feet, capacity 48 people) equipped with two whiteboards. The room is available to nonprofits, individuals, and for-profit organizations. Nonprofits and individuals may reserve at a $30 fee; for-profit organizations and those hosting public events or activities involving food, animals, or physical activity are required to provide a Certificate of Insurance. Reservations are made through the Dallas Public Library's online room-booking system at dallaslibrary.org, or you can call (214) 670-1952.
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