The National Association of Black Bookstores (NAB2) has officially launched as a nonprofit collective "to unify, elevate, and empower Black-owned bookstores across the country [and] to promote literacy, amplify Black voices, and preserve Black culture by increasing the visibility, sustainability, and impact of Black bookstores and booksellers. The organization represents a powerful step toward creating long-term infrastructure and collective advocacy for one of the most vital cultural cornerstones of Black America."
NAB2 was founded by Kevin Johnson, a former National Basketball Association star, former mayor of Sacramento, Calif., and son of Georgia "Mother Rose" Peat West, founder of Underground Books in the Oak Park section of Sacramento, who died last December. Johnson called his involvement in NAB2 "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."
The inaugural board includes owners from Marshall's Music and Books, Jackson, Miss.; Hakim's Bookstore, Philadelphia, Pa.; Marcus Books, Oakland, Calif.; and Source Booksellers, Detroit, Mich.
The association plans to meet virtually and in person, with key events slated during Black Lit Weekend in New York (August 15-16) and the Sacramento Black Book Fair (September 12-13). For more information, click here.
NAB2 should not be confused with the Black Bookstore Coalition, which has more than 40 members and was founded in 2020 by Ramunda Lark Young of MahoganyBooks, Washington, D.C., and National Harbor, Md., and Kalima DeSuze of Cafe con Libros, Brooklyn, N.Y., who has since moved on to other endeavors.
In a statement, Young wrote that Johnson "approached members of our Coalition with a proposal to merge efforts under his leadership. After thoughtful discussion and a leadership vote (comprised of nine bookstores from across the nation), we've decided not to align with NAB2 and will continue our work independently. Our decision was shaped by member concerns about the significant overlap in missions, the timing and rollout of the request, and elements of Mr. Johnson's public record that warrant reflection and due diligence."
Young added: "We believe there's room for multiple efforts to thrive. Groups such as the American Booksellers Association DEI Committee, regional bookselling associations, and many others are also working hard on initiatives that support us and this ecosystem. We believe this work must always be rooted in care, community trust, shared values, and collective vision."
In the last five years, among other accomplishments, the Black Bookstore Coalition has launched the Black Bookstore Coalition Bestsellers List; created initiatives like Black Lit Weekend, led by Onikah Asamoa-Caesar, owner of Fulton Street Books & Coffee, Tulsa, Okla.; partnered with authors and publishers across the industry; and developed and launched a Black author-focused book catalog in partnership with one of the top five publishers that has printed and shipped close to 12,000 copies to Black-owned bookstores across the nation (including stores not part of the coalition).