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Institutional and Private LibrariesLibrary, Phyllis Wheatley Branch%u2014%u2014Young Womens Christian AssociationIndianapolis, IndianaErected in 1929, razed in 1983.A YWCA specifically for African American women first occupied a building on Senate Avenue in 1922, which had been built as a Y for African American men. The building featured on this postcard was their fourth location, and was erected in 1929. It was named in honor of Phillis Wheatley the first African-American to publish a book of poetry. Wheatley was born c.1853 in West Africa, and sold into slavery at the age of seven or eight. Bought by the Wheatley family of Boston, she was taught to read and write by her owners%u2019 children. The family encouraged her poetry when they saw her talent, and freed her in 1773 after her first book of poetry was published.This building was constructed of brick and concrete, the first floor housed executive and general offices, a library, a gym, a lobby and a girls parlor. The second floor held additional offices, a music hall, a club room, and class rooms. The third floor housed the 31 bedrooms, a laundry, showers and a sitting room. In the basement, there was a swimming pool, showers, dressing room, and a tea room. The walls were ivory plaster and the wood trim and doors were dark walnut. The first young lady to secure a room was 17-year-old Miss Frances Williams.The Y was closed in September of 1959, and sold to the Masons, who occupied it until 1983, when it was razed in a street-widening project.