Obituary of Elinor DesVerney Sinnette

Dr. Elinor DesVerney Sinnette, October 8, 1925 – January 3, 2020. Loving wife, mother and grandmother. Devoted librarian, teacher, scholar and oral historian. She traveled extensively and worked in Nigeria, Kenya, and in Washington DC at Howard University’s Moorland Spingarn Research Center. She was a graduate of Hunter College and shortly thereafter received her master’s degree in Library Science from Pratt Institute. Years later, she obtained a doctoral degree in Library Science from Columbia University. She will be remembered for her important study of the life of black bibliophile Arthur Schomburg. She possessed a remarkable memory for remote and recent events that, coupled with her keen intelligence, kindness, and joyful spirit made this world a brighter place. Her contributions also include the work in progress on the oral histories of Tuskegee Airmen wives.

We have decided to cancel the memorial service for Elinor Sinnette that was scheduled for this coming Saturday, March 14. We do this out of an abundance of caution concerning the Covid-19 virus.  We deeply regret the inconvenience  but decided this was the best course of action for the safety of our friends, family and the staff of the Jefferson.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the East Coast Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Incorporated (ECCTAI). If by check, with notation on memo line: “For TAWAS book project”. Send payment to ECCTAI, c/o Dr. Rosemary Crockett, P.O. Box 6831, Washington, DC, 20020.