National Black Bookstore Day honors Black-owned bookstores across the U.S.

April 7 was designated National Black Bookstore Day, an effort led by Kevin Johnson that recognizes independent Black-owned bookstores for community building and cultural preservation. The number of Black-owned bookstores in the U.S. rose from 54 in 2010 to more than 300 today.

April 7 has been designated National Black Bookstore Day, an initiative led by Kevin Johnson, the former mayor of Sacramento, former NBA player, founder of the National Association of Black Bookstores and owner of Underground Books. The day recognizes independent Black-owned bookstores for their roles in community building, activism and preserving cultural and historical legacies. Black-owned bookstores are described as long-standing community hubs that host educational programs, author events and local initiatives. Coverage highlights a group of nationally recognized Black-owned bookstores that operate in cities from San Francisco to Atlanta. Notable points: - National Black Bookstore Day was designated April 7 and was led by Kevin Johnson, founder of the National Association of Black Bookstores and owner of Underground Books. - The designation highlights independent Black-owned bookstores for community building, civil rights and cultural preservation work. - The number of Black-owned bookstores in the United States increased from 54 in 2010 to more than 300 today. - Marcus Books in San Francisco, opened in 1960 and now run by second-generation leaders, is noted as the oldest independent Black-owned bookstore in the United States. - Examples include Hakim's Bookstore (established 1959) in Philadelphia and The Lit. Bar (established 2019) in the Bronx, which combines a bookstore and wine bar and aims to address local book access issues. - Other named outlets include MahoganyBooks (online 2007, physical store 2017, based in Washington, D.C.), Kindred Stories (Houston, est. 2021), For Keeps Books (Atlanta, est. 2018), Brain Lair Books (children's bookstore, South Bend, est. 2019) and a community-focused bookstore and coffee space started in New Orleans in the early 2020s. Summary: The designation of National Black Bookstore Day draws attention to the growth and civic role of independent Black-owned bookstores and highlights several long-running and newer establishments around the country. Undetermined at this time.