Black-owned bookstores have long been the heartbeat in our communities — and now, there’s a national movement to make sure they continue to thrive.
On August 6, the National Association of Black Bookstores (NAB2) officially launched, becoming the first and only collective solely dedicated to uplifting Black-owned bookstores and booksellers. The nonprofit, member-based organization says its mission is to “promote literacy, amplify Black voices and preserve Black culture by increasing the visibility, sustainability and impact of Black bookstores and booksellers.”
The vision comes from NAB2 founder and former Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson. He opened Underground Books in 2003 with his mother, “Mother Rose” Peat West, who passed away in December. For Johnson, launching NAB2 is deeply personal.
“My mother, Mother Rose, founded and ran Underground Books in Oak Park,” Johnson shared in the announcement. “My involvement in the National Association of Black Bookstores is deeply personal. It’s a way for me to honor her legacy and ensure that the stories, voices and spaces she cherished continue to thrive.”
NAB2’s founding board reads like a who’s-who of iconic Black bookstores — from Marshall’s Music and Book Store in Jackson, Miss. (est. 1938) and Marcus Books in Oakland, Calif. (est. 1960), to Hakim’s Bookstore in Philadelphia (est. 1959) and Source Booksellers in Detroit. They’ll be joined by newer trailblazers, such as Fulton Street Books & Coffee in Tulsa, Okla., and Class Bookstore in Houston, both of which were launched in 2020.
Blanche Richardson, a founding board member and owner of Marcus Books, says NAB2 is about building power together. “For decades, Black bookstores have been the connective tissue in communities across the nation,” she said. “Many of us have talked for years about the power of collective action and now, with the founding of NAB2, we have the ability to institutionalize policies and practices that will allow for the further growth and flourishing of these important institutions.”
NAB2 will host virtual and in-person gatherings throughout the year, including at New York’s Black Lit Weekend in August and Sacramento Black Book Fair in September. They will also attend every regional bookseller conference this fall to sign up new members. Memberships range from $100 to $500 annually, offered in three tiers.
NAB2’s core values center on elevating and advocating for the Black bookstore community, increasing representation in the bookselling industry, and educating the public about the legacy of Black bookstores nationwide.
For more information on how to support or join NAB2, visit www.nab2.org.