Lillian J. Huff

Lillian J. Huff (May 2, 1931 – September 17, 2018) was an American political and community activist in Washington, D.C.

Biography

Lillian J. Huff was born in 1931, in Dooling, Georgia, and raised in Tampa, Florida.[1][2]

She attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., graduating in 1953.[1] After her graduation, she remained in D.C., where she became a local community activist in the early 1960s and beyond, in particular in her neighborhood of Riggs Park.[1][3] She served as president of the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association.[1][4]

The front entrance of the rebuilt Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Neighborhood Library
The rebuilt Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Neighborhood Library, named in Huff's honor, in Washington, D.C., in 2026.

Huff was also involved in Democratic Party politics, including as co-chair of Walter Washington's mayoral campaign in 1978.[1] While Washington was in office, she chaired his Commission on Food, Nutrition, and Health.[3][5][6] She also served as a delegate to the 1972 Democratic National Convention, was the founding president of the D.C. Federation of Democratic Women, and was involved in the push for D.C. home rule and statehood.[1][4]

She was particularly active in advocating for the District of Columbia Public Library system, including for its expansion to her neighborhood, through local and citywide Friends groups.[1][3] In 1983, the Lamond-Riggs Library opened in Riggs Park in large part due to Huff's nearly two decades of activism on the issue, which included lobbying Congress to provide funds for the branch.[1][2][3][7] She also served on the White House Conference on Libraries and Information Services under President Jimmy Carter.[1]

Huff died in 2018 at age 87.[1][4] In 2022, after the Lamond-Riggs branch was replaced with a $20 million new building, it was renamed the Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Neighborhood Library in her honor.[1][2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Kelly, John (2022-08-23). "This D.C. library has a new name. Meet the woman it honors". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-05-11.
  2. 1 2 3 "Washington D.C. Council Resolution 240207". LegiScan. 2022-07-22. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Grant, Lyndia (2018-09-26). "Tribute to Lillian Huff". The Washington Informer. Retrieved 2026-05-11.
  4. 1 2 3 Jenkins, Anise (2018-09-27). "Obituary - Lillian J. Huff". Stand Up! for Democracy in DC. Retrieved 2026-05-11.
  5. ↑ "Mayor's commission on food and nutrition elect". The Washington Daily News. 1971-09-10.
  6. ↑ Flander, Judy (1971-11-23). "'Not one hungry person in D.C.' is still the goal". The Washington Daily News.
  7. ↑ "Unveiling of Lillian J. Huff Plaque". DC Public Library. 2023-03-18. Retrieved 2026-05-11.
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