Read This: Black-Owned Indie Bookstores to Support Today

Arkansas

Pyramid Art, Books and Custom Framing—Established in 1988 as the Pyramid Gallery was born from a passion for and appreciation of Black Art and culture.  The business has brought enrichment, culture and education of this niche market to Little Rock. Over the years, Pyramid has hosted hundreds of book signings, exhibitions, cultural events and programs. Little Rock, AR

California

Ashay by the Bay—Since 2000, this bookseller has been specializing in African American and multi-cultural children’s books for schools and organizations. Vallejo, CA

Carol's Bookstore—Taking local orders by phone. Sacramento, CA

Eso Won Book—Los Angeles, CA

Marcus Book Stores—Historic independent bookshop, opened in the '60s, specializing in titles by and about black people. Taking local orders by phone. Oakland, CA

Reparations Club—Reparations Club is a concept shop & creative space curated by Blackness & POC. Los Angeles, CA

Revolution Books—Revolution Books is a bookstore with literature, history, science, art, philosophy and revolutionary theory. . . a place of discovery and engagement. Berkeley, CA

Shades of Afrika—Shades of Afrika began when they noticed that there were too few places that offered affordable Afrikan Art, Afrikan-made products and even fewer book stores. Long Beach, CA

Underground Books—Since the closing of the only area library in the 1970s, it became the mission of non-profit St. HOPE to ensure that the students and the community had access to books. Underground Books is a nonprofit under St. HOPE and has become a gathering place for neighborhood residents. Sacramento, CA

Connecticut

Burgundy Books—Old Saybrook, CT

District of Columbia

MahoganyBooks—MahoganyBooks is dedicated to meeting the literary needs of readers in search of books written for, by, or about people of the African Diaspora. Washington, DC

Sankofa Video Books & Cafe—Washington, DC

Loyalty Bookstore—Loyalty was founded by Hannah Oliver Depp, a Black and Queer Bookseller who has spent her career working to diversify the book industry in order for it to better serve the powerful communities of color and queerness. Washington, DC

Florida

Best Richardson African Diaspora Literature & Culture Museum—Best Richardson African Diaspora Literature & Culture Museum is a non-profit Veteran and Woman-owned museum, bookstore and gift shop.  This literary museum is dedicated to the education and enlightenment of diverse audiences. They highlight the literary contributions of people of the African Diaspora whose ancestors were forced into enslavement and forbidden to read or write for centuries under colonization. Tampa, FL

Cultured Books—Cultured Books is a pop-up children's bookstore, with a mission to first foster a love of self by showing positive images and sharing great stories about people of color. St. Petersburg, FL

Dare Books—Longwood, FL

Pyramid Books—Pyramid Books celebrates Black History Month 365 days a year to educate all people about the African Diaspora. African-American books and authors are their specialty: fiction, nonfiction, self-help, metaphysics, mysteries, Egyptology, Pan African, spiritual, science fiction, self-published and hard to find books. Boynton Beach, FL

Georgia

All Things Inspiration Giftique—All Things Inspiration Giftique is a Christian bookstore serving the neighborhood and surrounding areas with carefully-curated selection of bibles, christian literature, popular fiction/nonfiction titles and African American literature. Mableton, GA

Black Dot Cultural Center & Bookstore—Lithonia, GA

Brave + Kind Bookshop—A thoughtfully-curated children's bookshop providing a unique selection of diverse, classic and artful stories. Decatur, GA

For Keeps Bookstore—Atlanta, GA

The Listening Tree—Decatur, GA

Medu Bookstore—Medu, meaning "the power of the word," is the second largest African-American owned bookstore in Atlanta, Georgia. Taking local orders by phone. Atlanta, GA

Nubian Bookstore—Taking local orders by phone. Morrow, GA

Illinois

AfriWare Books, Co.—Since 1993 AfriWare Books has served the community by providing a platform to showcase authors, artists and advocates who infuse us with a sense of cultural pride. By sharing pertinent information about the history, accomplishments and suggested solutions to improve the community’s well-being, Afri-Ware has distinguished itself as a beacon for cultural literacy. Maywood, IL

Frontline Bookstore—Chicago, IL

Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery—This Black- and woman-owned bookstore is a museum, bookstore and library all in one with a gallery of rotating artists. Chicago, IL

The Underground Africentric Bookstore—Taking local orders by phone. Chicago, IL

Indiana

Akoma Books—Evansville, IN

Beyond Barcodes Bookstore—Kokomo, IN

Brain Lair Books—Bookshop dedicated to developing empathy and building a community centered around the discussion of inclusive books. South Bend, IN

Louisiana

Between the Lines—Baton Rouge, LA

Community Book Center—Taking local orders by phone. New Orleans, LA

Maryland

Everyone's Place—Taking local orders by phone. Baltimore, MD

Loyalty Bookstore—Loyalty was founded by Hannah Oliver Depp, a Black and Queer Bookseller who has spent her career working to diversify the book industry in order for it to better serve the powerful communities of color and queerness. Silver Spring, MD

Riches in Reading—Taking local orders by phone. Chesapeake, VA

Wisdom Book Center—Experience an empowering African-Centered Store that is warm, cultural, inviting and healing. Gwynn Oak, MD

Massachusetts

Frugal Bookstore—"Changing minds one book at a time." Roxbury, MA

Olive Tree Books-n-Voices—Springfield, MA

Michigan

Black Stone Bookstore & Cultural Center—Black Stone Bookstore & Cultural Center is an independent African-American bookstore that opened in 2013 in the hopes of bringing awareness to true African-American literature and culture. Ypsilanti, MI

Detroit Book City Bookstore—​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Detroit Book City is a small, independent book store that specialize & market books, media & events to the African-American consumer market. Detroit, MI

Source Booksellers—Detroit, MI

Missouri

Bliss Books & Wine—Bliss Books & Wine promotes the reading culture by encouraging curious readers, endorsing local arts, and connecting great pastimes of social drinking and introverted reading. Kansas City, MO

EyeSeeMe—This bookstore'smission is to be a resource to parents, teachers, and schools in providing the very best children’s books on the market that promote positive images and stories about African American culture and history. As a tool to help increase literacy, African American children will benefit by seeing themselves respectfully represented in the literature they read. Non-African American children will benefit by helping to dispel negative and inaccurate stereotypical images of people of color and that despite our many differences, all people share common feelings and aspirations. University City, MO

Willa’s Books and Vinyl—Willa’s Books large inventory of African-American books can satisfy the most avid readers. Kansas City, MO

Nebraska

Aframerican Book Store—The Aframerican Bookstore is a wholly owned independent African-American enterprise established in 1990. Omaha, NE

New Jersey

La Unique African American Books & Cultural Center—Camden, NJ

New York

Cafe con Libros—Cafe con Libros (coffee with books) is an intersectional Feminist community bookstore and coffee shop. Through a choice of books, programming and great coffee, they endeavor to create a vibrant community space where everyone, specifically female identified folx, feel centered, affirmed and celebrated. Brooklyn, NY

The Lit. Bar—The Lit. Bar opened it’s doors on April 27, 2019 (National Indie Bookstore Day) and is currently the only bookstore serving the 1.5 million people of the Boogie Down Bronx. Bronx, NY

Sister’s Uptown Bookstore—Sister's Uptown Bookstore is presently the oldest black and family-owned bookstore and community cultural center in Washington Heights/Harlem dedicated to nourishing the minds, hearts and souls of the community with present and past works of gifted African American, Latinx, and other great authors and intellectuals. Washington Heights, NY

Zawadi Books—Taking local orders by phone. Buffalo, NY

Ohio

A Cultural Exchange—A Cultural Exchange is a nonprofit literacy-based multicultural arts organization for children. It was founded in 1991 by a group of African-American women determined to make a difference, led by Deborah McHamm, our first president and chief executive officer. Cleveland, OH

Elizabeth's Bookshop—Elizabeth's Bookshop + Writing Centre is an innovative literacy center designed to amplify and celebrate marginalized voices. Their catalog highlights, promotes, amplifies, celebrates and honors the work of writers who are often excluded from traditional cultural, social and academic canons. Akron, OH

Ujaama Book Store—Colombus, OH

Oklahoma

Mocha Books—Inspired by a family of readers, the mission of Mocha Books is to promote literacy (for all ages), and to foster a love of reading in the home and community. It is equally important to promote positive self-images, encourage creativity and thought and provide a curated book selection that highlight black and brown characters and/or written by authors of color. 90% of the books featured/stocked are by indie authors. Tulsa, OK

Pennsylvania

The Black Reserve Bookstore—Lansdale, PA

Books & Stuff—Philadelphia, PA

Harriett’s Bookshop—Philadelphia, PA

The Tiny Bookstore—Ross Township, PA

Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books—Founded by Marc Lamont Hill in 2017, Uncle Bobbie's was created to provide underserved communities with access to books and a space where everyone feels valued. Philadelphia, PA

Texas

Black Pearl Books—An Independent Bookstore in the Austin, TX Hill Country here to serve a multi-cultural, multi-generation and multi-socioeconomic community built to promote diversity, inclusion, equality and cultural awareness. Austin, TX

Black World Books—Killeen, TX

The Dock Bookshop—The Dock Bookshop opened in 2008 and is now one of the largest independent, full service, African-American owned bookstores in Texas and the Southwest. Fort Worth, TX

Enda’s Booktique—Enda's Booktique is an independent bookstore located in Duncanville (Dallas), Texas, founded by Enda Jean Pemberton Jones, an African American educator and chaplain. Duncanville, TX

Pan-African Connection—Dallas, TX

Virginia

Books and Crannies—Martinsville, VA

Harambee Books and Artworks—Harambee Books & Artworks was conceived to achieve a mission of literacy education as a fundamental human right for all. Browse their unique selection of books and hard-to-find classic literature by and about people of African descent. Alexandria, VA

House of Consciousness—Norfolk, VA

Positive Vibes—Virginia Beach, VA

Washington

Estelita's Library—Estelita’s Library is a curated community bookstore and library with books focused on social justice, ethnic studies and liberation movements. The goal of Estelita’s Library is to have community book talks, classes, meetings, history lessons and much more to strengthen and develop our collective analysis for justice. Seattle, WA