Located in Fort-de-France, Martinique is Bibliotheque Schoelcher. Architect Pierre-Henri Picq, a disciple of Gustave Eiffel of the Eiffel Tower, designed the library in 1884. Picq constructed the library out of concrete, wrought iron, and wood as a precaution against Martinique’s salty ocean air and swampy lands. The library’s construction was completed in 1887 in Paris, France, and placed on display at the Paris Exposition Universelle in celebration of a hundred years since the French Revolution. It was not until 1889 that the library was dismantled and shipped to Martinique by boat. Its reconstruction took a duration six years to complete due disasters like a fire in 1890 and a hurricane in 1891 plaguing the town. Regardless of these difficulties, the library was eventually opened in 1893 with 10,000 books in its collection. These books were donated to the library by its namesake, Victor Schoelcher.
Born in Paris, France in 1804, Victor Schoelcher was a journalist and an abolitionist advocating for the freedom of France and the West Indies. Schoelcher was first motivated after a visit the United States in 1829 where he observed the atrocities of slavery. Upon his return to France, Schoelcher wrote a series of essays criticizing the institution of slavery. He argued that society would benefit, socially, economically, and politically, if slavery were abolished. His work gained him notoriety among the French public and elite. As a politician, Schoelcher traveled the world sharing his ideas. In 1848 his efforts paid off as slave revolts began in the West Indies. In a haste to disrupt the munity, Schoelcher returned to France as Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies and helped draft decree abolishing slavery in all French territories. The decree was officially accepted on April 27, 1848. Soon after, Schoelcher was elected to the French national legislation as deputy of Martinique and then Guadeloupe a year later.
For Schoelcher’s actions in freeing Martinique, he was commemorated in their history, most notably with the naming of Bibliotheque Schoelcher. It was actually Schoelcher’s idea to have the library built. He believed knowledge in all forms, but especially in books, was a commodity that deserved to be shared with everyone, not just the wealthy. So in stipulation for giving Martinique his entire collection of books, all 10,000 of them, a public library needed to be built.
Today Bibliotheque Schoelcher’s collection has grown to over 200,000 books with the mandate of preserving heritage documents relating to Martinique for the public’s use.