Fisk University's Carnegie Library and Creswell House

W.E.B. DuBois wrote: “Education must not simply teach work—it must teach Life.” DuBois remains one of Fisk University’s most distinguished graduates. He attended Fisk from 1885 to 1888 before going on to Harvard to become the first African American to earn a doctorate. DuBois was an author, philosopher, socialist, and activist who argued higher education was key to racial uplift, arguing that a “Talented Tenth”—a class of highly educated Black professionals—would lead the charge for equality and progress.

The Carnegie Library, located on Fisk’s campus, is a testament to this commitment to knowledge. Funded by a $20,000 donation from Andrew Carnegie, this was McKissack’s first major architectural commission. The cornerstone was laid in May 1908, by William Howard Taft, just months before he won the presidential election. Though initially skeptical of Black higher education, President Taft later acknowledged its importance. 

The library, completed in 1909, served Fisk students for decades and now houses administrative offices. Regardless of the building use, it will remain one of the first major structures designed by a Black architect in the segregated South. The library moved to Cravath Hall, and then to the current McKissack-built John Hope and Aurelia E. Franklin building. 

Fun fact: I worked on the restoration of Cravath Hall, designed by architect Henry Hibbs and completed in 1933. Its the wedding cake buildings in the middle of campus near the statue of W.E.B. DuBois. A unique feature is that the upper stories had glass floors lined up with the windows to provide natural light for the stacks area.

Head back to your car then turn onto 17th Ave N and find street parking near the Creswell House at 910 17th Ave N—the final part of this stop. You’ll see the historical marker in front of the house.

A short walk away, at 910 17th Avenue North, stands the Creswell House, home to Pearl and Isaiah “I.T.” Creswell, a couple whose educational and civil rights activism embodied Du Bois’s vision.

A 1932 Fisk graduate, Pearl Creswell dedicated her life to art and activism. As Fisk’s first art curator, she led the Van Vechten Art Gallery from 1939 to 1991 and worked with Georgia O’Keeffe to curate the Alfred Stieglitz Collection. Beyond the arts, she was a civil rights leader, co-founding the Mother’s Study Group in 1939, which later became a Jack and Jill of America chapter, advocating for Black women, working mothers, and children.

Like his wife, Isaiah "I.T." Creswell was committed to civil rights. Born in rural Mississippi, he graduated from Fisk in 1927, later studying at Northwestern and the University of Chicago. A mathematician, he played a vital role at Fisk as an accounting professor and chief financial officer from 1945 to 1967. In 1966, he became the first African American member of the Metropolitan Nashville Board of Education. His legacy was honored in 2016 when Wharton Middle School was renamed Isaiah T. Creswell Middle School of the Arts. Its motto is “Where Creativity Meets Learning.” We think Isaiah and Pearl would approve.

Designed by Robert M. Anderson, Jr., the Creswell House is a mid-20th-century International-style home. Its grid layout, flat roof, slender wood columns, and brick veneer walls create a sleek, modern aesthetic. Inside, high ceilings, clerestory windows, a central courtyard, and floor-to-ceiling glass define its minimalist yet functional design.

Together, the Carnegie Library and Creswell House represent the intersection of education, architecture, and activism, reflecting Du Bois’s vision of Black excellence.

Continue down 17th Ave N, crossing the train tracks. You’ll see Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet School, formerly Pearl High School, on your right. You can park on the street in front of the school or in the lot next to the Watkins Community Center. Restrooms are available inside the community center during their regular business hours. Look for the historical marker at the corner of Jo Johnston and 17th Ave.