An Archive of Black Resistance, in Dispatches From Bookstores
From the outset, Black bookstores have been centers of not only cultural exchange and knowledge but also protest and liberation. When David Ruggles opened what is recognized as the first Black bookstore, in 1834, at 67 Lispenard Street in Lower Manhattan, he used his inventory of books, pamphlets and stationery — as well as the in-house print shop — to advance the abolitionist movement. A year later, D. Ruggles Books was destroyed in a fire that was most likely caused by arson.
Katie Mitchell draws on this long tradition of Black renaissance emerging from Black resistance in PROSE TO THE PEOPLE (Clarkson Potter, $26.99), a historical guidebook and cultural anthology told through a resplendent tapestry of images, artifacts, poetry, interviews and essays showcasing the resilience of the Black community through the lens of one of its most enduring institutions.
Mitchell spent two years traveling the country to collect photos and testimonials from individual establishments and their patrons — the Black bookstore being defined as not only Black-owned, but specializing in publications by Black authors. The result is both a collage and an encyclopedia of Black art and Black pride, a timeline of activism, a reading list and even a soundtrack to accompany it all.
Mitchell's greatest achievement is not beckoning readers to visit these disparate spaces; it is her ability to unite them across time and geography in a collective purpose that goes beyond a love of books. This archive of intellectual access and achievement illustrates an innate understanding of what the beloved Harlem bookseller Lewis Michaux proselytized: 'Black is beautiful, but knowledge is power.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
an hour ago
- Axios
Charlotte homelessness is on the rise
Each January, volunteers go out across Charlotte and count the number of people living on the streets, in cars, parks and tents. Why it matters: This year's point-in-time survey shows that homelessness is rising in Charlotte, underscoring a national trend. With 444 people identified as unsheltered, it was the highest count since 2010 and more than double the total from 2020, just before the pandemic. By the numbers: Those 444 people represent a 16% increase from last year, with 116 new people identified. Four families had children, the highest number of unsheltered households with minors ever recorded during the local point-in-time count. The survey is widely considered an "undercount" due to the difficulty of finding unsheltered people. Zoom out: According to Mecklenburg County's tally of people across homeless programs, 2,415 men, women and children were experiencing homelessness as of April 30. 164 are veterans. 147 are unaccompanied youth. 75% are Black/African American, representing a disproportionately high figure. 3% are Hispanic/Latino, although that demographic makes up only 14% of the county population. The big picture: Unsheltered homelessness is rising at record levels nationally due to rising rents, a lack of affordable housing, gentrification and other issues prevalent in Charlotte.
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
When is Juneteenth? Is it a federal holiday? What to know
When is Juneteenth? Is it a federal holiday? What to know Show Caption Hide Caption What is Juneteenth? Holiday celebrates end of American slavery in Texas Juneteenth celebrates the Emancipation Proclamation, but the Emancipation Proclamation didn't apply to all states in the USA. The 13th Amendment brought an end to slavery. USA TODAY, Wochit The nation's youngest federal holiday is around the corner. Juneteenth commemorates the events of June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas when the last Black slaves of the Confederacy were ordered free following the arrival of Union troops. The day, which rose to national prominence in 2020 amid nationwide protests for ongoing racial inequities in the justice system between Black people – specifically Breonna Taylor and George Floyd – and police, was officially recognized a federal holiday by President Joe Biden in 2021. Here's what to know about the holiday and what day it occurs. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Juneteenth: Everything to know about the federal holiday When is Juneteenth? Is it a federal holiday? Juneteenth National Independence Day is on Thursday, June 19, this year, and is considered a federal holiday. Will banks be closed on Juneteenth? Juneteenth is considered a bank holiday, according to the Federal Reserve. The United States Postal Service, schools, and most banks, like Wells Fargo, Citibank, Bank of America, Truist, and others, will also be closed on June 19. Fact check: No, a George Floyd statue wasn't removed from the National Mall What is Juneteenth? The holiday commemorates the Emancipation Proclamation in the U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issued the proclamation to free enslaved African Americans in secessionist states on January 1, 1863, but enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, would not learn of their freedom until two years later. On June 19, 1865, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger informed the community of Galveston of Lincoln's proclamation. Although enslaved people had been officially emancipated years prior, enslavers responsible for telling them ignored the order until Union troops arrived to enforce it, founder of Cliff Robinson earlier told USA TODAY. Texas was the last Confederate state to have the proclamation announced. Though the story of Texas' emancipation is the most widely known, president of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation Steve Williams previously told USA TODAY, other significant events in the history of emancipation took place on and around that date. He said the first known Juneteenth celebrations began in 1866 and spread across the country as African Americans migrated to new cities. Why is it called Juneteenth? Juneteenth is a combination of "June" and "nineteenth," in honor of the day that Granger announced the abolition of slavery in Texas. The holiday is also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund, Julia Gomez, N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@ and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Nigerian immigrant graduates with honors from Anderson High School
ANDERSON — Wuorola Olorunfemi thought she could fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor and living in a mansion in her home country of Nigeria. Life and God had other plans. Her mother was accepted into Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York. Olorunfemi was nine years old. "I found myself facing changes I hadn't anticipated,' she said Saturday during a speech to her fellow graduates at Anderson High School. 'We boarded a plane and left behind everything I'd ever known to move thousands of miles." She described an array of challenges, including bitterly cold winters and stereotypes that made building friendships difficult. "I was asked questions like, 'Why is your hair always in braids?' 'Did you live in a hut in Africa?' 'Did you guys hunt lions and zebras?' "Those moments were uncomfortable and jarring, but I adapted." She planned to attend Clarkson like her mother, but in 2020, the family moved to Anderson. "I wasn't thrilled, but Anderson gave me something unexpected: More diversity, more opportunities and the space to truly grow," said Olorunfemi, one of 307 seniors to graduate from AHS on Saturday. Olorunfemi, the senior class president, ranked 21st in the graduating class. "Wuoraola is a very lively, independent and bold,' said her mother, Mosun. 'She's a go-getter. She goes for whatever she sets her mind to." Mosun said she and her husband, Felix, also taught their daughter to value education. "We focus strongly on academics,' Felix said. 'I know that in this country, if you pursue your education, you can make something out of life." A love of reading, along with an attitude of self-discipline, he added, augmented his daughter's academic prowess. "Do your homework, no TV during the week, no video games,' he said. 'If she's not reading academic books, she was reading books from the library. We go to the library every Sunday." Olorunfemi will enroll in the nursing program at Indiana University. Felix said that, having spent the past two summers taking college-level courses, his daughter will have a leg up. "For the past two years, she has been going to summer school at Purdue and IU," he said. "Every holiday, she goes to summer school. I think she's more than ready for college.' Olorunfemi sees IU as a steppingstone on her journey, one which she hopes includes becoming a neurosurgeon and, perhaps someday, " living in a pretty pink mansion." She hopes to inspire others, especially young Black women, to pursue their goals. "You don't have to be on top to be great,' she said. 'You don't have to be perfect to be great and do great things," Olorunfemi said. "Make your life what you want it to be."
