3 Black-owned Bookstores You Must Support Today
3 Black-owned Bookstores You Must Support TodayDigital books are great. They are portable and environment-friendly; however, they do not deliver the same experience as reading from a physical book. Most of us have grown up reading printed books, and we prefer the tangible version more than the digital one. Bookstores are our forever favorite place.
Black-owned independent bookstores deserve all the love and support. They serve the community by offering quality books, arranging literary talks, and instilling a love for books and literature among people. Even with meager resources, black-owned bookstores have managed to stay afloat and being a credible source for black history and culture.
In this article, we have listed some amazing black-owned independent bookstores across the country. We strongly recommend you visit these bookstores at your earliest.
Pyramid Books - Boynton Beach, FL
Pyramid Books is an independent Black-owned bookstore located in Boynton Beach. It has been operational since June 1993 and has served the community by offering hard-to-find and new books. Pyramid Books specializes in African-American literature and offers books from multiple genres that are in tune with the Afrocentric interests of its customers. At Pyramid Books, you will find various books belonging to different genres, such as fiction, non-fiction, science fiction, Egyptology, mystery, metaphysics, self-published, and Pan-African.
Pyramid Books is more than a bookstore. It serves as a center for the literary community. It has partnered with local school districts to spread knowledge and educate budding minds. In this spirit, Pyramid Books has sponsored multiple book fairs and conferences. Numerous renowned authors and illustrators are regularly invited to these events, enabling book lovers to interact and exchange ideas with their favorite authors.
The Editing Services of Pyramid Books offer the opportunity for aspiring writers to get their work published. Celebrating Black History is the recurrent theme at Pyramid Books. They hope to educate and connect the African Diaspora to their roots and history through their efforts.
Detroit Book City - Southfield, MI
Detroit Book City has the best and rarest collection of hard-to-find and out-of-print books for the African-American community. They offer new and gently used books at affordable prices. Detroit Book City is an independent bookstore owned by Janeice and Reginald Haynes - a black couple. You will find books for children, teens, and adults at Detroit Book City. The theme of the books ranges from self-self-help, spirituality, how-to’s, memories, black consciousness, urban fiction, and biographies.
More than a bookstore, Detroit Book City also arranges several media events for African American readers. With over 17,000 readers visiting their website, Detroit Book City provides a wonderful platform for Black Indie Authors to showcase and sell their books.
Harambee Books and Artworks - Alexandria, VA
Harambee Books and Artworks is the right place to go if you are looking for rare, specialized, and hard-to-find African-American literature. It is a black-owned bookstore located in the Old Town of Alexandria. Along with books, they sell exclusive artwork and chic apparel. The founders of Harambee Books and Artworks believed that everyone should have access to literacy education as this is a basic human right. To make that possible, Harambee Books and Artworks offers educational resources and regularly conducts reading programs and community-based events.
Along with educating the community, these programs also promote parental engagement. At Harambee Books and Artworks, you will find hand-picked classic literature about African people, their history, and their culture. Along with rare collections, the bookstore shelves are also decorated with modern and mainstream African American literature.
At Row House Publishing, we do our best to support Black-owned independent businesses. We aim to make books more accessible for all echelons of society. Our mission is to provide an equitable and transparent platform to publish books in the spaces of wellness, community, health, psychology, memoir, politics, spirituality, children's literature, parenting, business, LGBTQIA+, and other genres.