Poplar Bluff Library - Ridgel Branch

About

The Gus T. Ridgel Branch Library is the name chosen by the Poplar Bluff Municipal Library Board of Trustees for the branch library located at 3398 Kanell Boulevard. The late Dr. Ridgel, a native of Poplar Bluff, has left a legacy that continues to inspire access to reading, information, cultural and intellectual resources for all citizens. He was the first African American admitted to the University of Missouri graduate program in 1950. Recently inducted into the Mizzou Alumni Hall of Fame, he is a graduate of Wheatly school and a WWII veteran. By naming our branch library after him, we hope to continue to honor his contributions to society.