We are bearing witness to the harrowing legacies and ongoing reality of systemic racism in the United States. From the harassment Christian Cooper received for endeavoring to enforce leash laws while birding in Central Park, to the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and David McAtee we are experiencing the cultural and individual tragedies of centuries of ingrained bias and hatred. We believe it is our responsibility as global citizens to work actively to affect meaningful, essential, positive change. With this in mind, Press staff have been encouraged to purchase books on antiracism, from independent bookstores, with the cost supported by PUP. Below is a list of Black-owned independent bookstores that serves as a resource for us and that we hope can be a resource for others. As a source of book ideas, this antiracist reading list is an excellent start, which Ibram X. Kendi published in the New York Times last year, as is the #Charlestonsyllabus created in 2015.
If you’re in a position to donate to racial justice causes, Color of Change, NAACP, and Black Lives Matter are all good places to start. Some options for donating to bail funds include: Atlanta Solidarity Fund, Chicago Community Bond Fund, Baltimore Action Legal Team, Louisville Community Bail Fund, Philly Bailout, Richmond Community Bail Fund, and LGBTQ Fund. Community support and empowerment organizations include: Reclaim the Block, Black Visions Collective, People’s Breakfast Oakland, Bed Stuy Strong, BlackOUT Collective, National Domestic Workers Alliance.
You could also donate to the Go Fund Me for Marcus Books in Oakland, the oldest Black-owned bookstore in the United States, or the #WeStillHere Go Fund Me for Uncle Bobbie’s in Philadelphia.
Support Black-Owned Bookstores
Bay Area
Ashay By The Bay | Twitter | Instagram
Multicultural Bookstore | Facebook
Boston Area
Frugal Bookstore | Twitter | Facebook
Chicago
Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery | Twitter
Denver
Detroit Area
Source Booksellers | Twitter | Facebook
Detroit Book City | Twitter | Facebook
Black Stone Bookstore | Facebook
Los Angeles
Florida
Georgia
The Listening Tree Bookstore | Twitter | Facebook
New York
The Lit. Bar | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Cafe con Libros | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Ohio
Smith & Hannon Bookstore | Facebook
Philadelphia
Harriet’s Bookshop | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Uncle Bobbie’s | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
South Bend, Indiana
Brain Lair | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
South Carolina
Turning Page Bookshop | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Texas
Pan Africa Connection | Instagram | Facebook
Enda’s Boutique | Instagram | Facebook
The Dock Bookshop | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Black World Books | Instagram | Facebook
Tulsa
Mocha Books | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Virginia
Books and Crannies | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Washington, DC
Loyalty Bookstores | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook