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Regina M. Anderson was born in Chicago, Illinois. She was the child of an attorney, and an artist. -
Regina lived in Normal, Illinois with her mother's parents after her parents divorced before returning to Chicago and graduating form Hyde Park High School.
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Regina enrolled to Wilberforce University in 1919 and also worked in the Carnegie Library while attending there for a year. -
Regina attended multiple Universities. She enrolled to Wilberforce University in 1919 before leaving a year to attend the University of Chicago. Soon after, Regina enrolled to Columbia University earning her Masters of Library Science degree.
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Regina's apartment she was sharing with friends was known as "580" where the majority of the events took place.
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After Regina achieved her Masters degree of Library Science from Columbia University, she moved to New York city at age 21. She settled downtown Manhattan living in a YWCA. -
Regina enrolled in the University of Chicago after attending Wilberforce for a year. She was hired to work as a junior library assistant at the Chicago Public Library in 1921 -
Regina begins working as a librarian for the New York Public Library at the 135th street branch. -
Regina shared an apartment in New York's Sugar Hill District of Harlem with Ethel Ray and Louella Tucker. They hosted salons, events, and gatherings for artists
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Regina helped organize a dinner at the Civic Club, where 110 guests and notable authors attended such as W.E.B. Du Bois, Jean Toomer, Countee Cullen, and Langston Hughes. -
Regina helped Du Bois cofound a company of black actors performing plays by black authors located in the 135th Street Public Library. -
Regina and Du Bois helped the group to develop and promote new writers, directors, and performers within the black community.
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Regina contributed in the National Urban League and the National Council of Women in the United States (NCWU) while being a librarian.
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Regina's one act play called "Climbing Jacob's Ladder," was produced in this theatre in 1931. The theatre served as an encouragement for black playwrights.
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After Regina's first one act play "Climbing Jacob's Ladder," the theatre produce her second one act play called "Underground," which were both written under her pseudonym. -
Regina received recognition for her contributions in 1939 by the Worlds Fair in New York. She was one of the ten African women who got acknowledge in 1939. -
In 1938, Regina received a promotion that made her become the first African American to be head of the New York Public Library Branch on 115th Street Branch. She would soon keep encouraging libraries to host theatricals groups for the community. -
Regina married her husband William T. Andrews who was from Sumter, South Carolina. They adopted a daughter who was born in 1945 -
Regina was retired in 1966, at age 65. She spent the rest of her life traveling while still serving her community. Regina's contributions helped expand the 135th Street Branch for research in Black Culture which has her papers and photographs. -
Regina hosted a meeting for NCWUS women and contributed to The Black New Yorkers that share the story of Black people in New York State.
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Regina M. Anderson's husband died in 1984. A few years after Regina died at the age of 91 in Ossing, New York in 1993.