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Black-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore
NBC News reporter Char Adams writes a deeply compelling and rigorously reported history of Black political movements, told through the lens of Black-owned bookstores, which have been centers for organizing from abolition to the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter.
Black-Owned celebrates small businesses and their role in community building—and in liberation. Journalist Char Adams reports on how Black bookstores have always been centerpieces of resistance. This is a story of activism, espionage, violence, and perseverance. The first Black-owned bookstore was opened by an abolitionist in 1834. In the twentieth century, civil rights and Black Power activists started a Black bookstore boom nationwide. Malcolm X would deliver speeches at the doorstep of the National Memorial African Book Store in Harlem, a place dubbed “Speakers Corner.” Soon many bookstores became targets of the FBI and local law enforcement alike.
Amid these struggles, bookshops were also places of Eartha Kitt and Langston Hughes held autograph parties at their local Black-owned bookstore and Maya Angelou even became the face of National Black Bookstore Week. Now a new generation of Black activists are joining the radical bookstore tradition, with rapper Noname opening her Radical Hood Library in Los Angeles. And several stores made national headlines in the era of the Black Lives Matter movement. Today finds Black-owned bookshops in a position of strength—and as Adams will make clear, in an era of increasing division, their presence is needed now more than ever.
Populated by vibrant characters and written with cinematic flair, Black-Owned is an enlightening story of community, resistance, and joy.
Black-Owned celebrates small businesses and their role in community building—and in liberation. Journalist Char Adams reports on how Black bookstores have always been centerpieces of resistance. This is a story of activism, espionage, violence, and perseverance. The first Black-owned bookstore was opened by an abolitionist in 1834. In the twentieth century, civil rights and Black Power activists started a Black bookstore boom nationwide. Malcolm X would deliver speeches at the doorstep of the National Memorial African Book Store in Harlem, a place dubbed “Speakers Corner.” Soon many bookstores became targets of the FBI and local law enforcement alike.
Amid these struggles, bookshops were also places of Eartha Kitt and Langston Hughes held autograph parties at their local Black-owned bookstore and Maya Angelou even became the face of National Black Bookstore Week. Now a new generation of Black activists are joining the radical bookstore tradition, with rapper Noname opening her Radical Hood Library in Los Angeles. And several stores made national headlines in the era of the Black Lives Matter movement. Today finds Black-owned bookshops in a position of strength—and as Adams will make clear, in an era of increasing division, their presence is needed now more than ever.
Populated by vibrant characters and written with cinematic flair, Black-Owned is an enlightening story of community, resistance, and joy.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published November 4, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
July 3, 2025
Well researched and told history of the importance of Black bookstores along with some of the owners that garnered a national reputation. There were a couple of big misses, that were glaring to me. Lushena books, A&B books and Culture Plus. All were major Black book distributors in NYC. Luther Warner with Lushena would often give vendors and small bookstores books on consignment and you would pay when you sold them. Just a minor oversight.
I mean you obviously can’t include everything.
But I would say the history that is laid out is comprehensive and gives one a great understanding of the uniqueness of Black bookstores and their place in the culture. The meaning of the Black bookstore is vividly brought to life through exacting prose by Ms. Adams. This is certainly a resource worth having. Thanks to Tiny Reparations Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy. Book drops 11-4-2025
I mean you obviously can’t include everything.
But I would say the history that is laid out is comprehensive and gives one a great understanding of the uniqueness of Black bookstores and their place in the culture. The meaning of the Black bookstore is vividly brought to life through exacting prose by Ms. Adams. This is certainly a resource worth having. Thanks to Tiny Reparations Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy. Book drops 11-4-2025
December 2, 2025
Was Invited to Listen to Buzz Books Zoom Panel and Char Adams spoke about this book. I thought it was a timely book considering all the book banning and loss of Independent Book Stores.
I found this book did a great job with the history of Black-Owned and Black Represented Books. It covers a long period of how black-owned book stores started as revolutionary arms to causes that more radical groups were pushing forward. This was during the Civil Rights Area and Also when Blacks Rights were seen to represent not just the United States, but a Pan-African Movement. So, the book store became a place to find out about other groups and activities. This did not come at a small price as the book stores were monitored by the government.
As, times changed Black Readership expanded greatly, but had a more broad range of books. Women wanted to read books about their lives and were reading books that represented this. The Book Stores also offered a place of Community and could offer classes and Book Reading for Children. This was not something a Chain Store could offer. Further, since Black Book Store owners cultivated early talent, these authors stayed loyal to them and would come and speak at their book stores.
Challenges did come up. Chain Stores could offer big discounts and carried a larger selection of black themed books. Then when on-line ordering, especially through Amazon started, it became hard to compete. I think the challenge will always be, that an Independent Book Store must offer more, something you can not get just by ordering a book. There are different avenues to explore and think for all Independent Stores this will be the challenge that will continue. I find many independent book stores offer Author Events, so then will purchase a book at Full Price. Writing Work Shops and Independent Classes Work as Well. Otherwise, paying Full Price for a Pretty Shop that doesn’t offer Book Clubs or Other Community Events, I tend to like the store, but am not likely to pay 2X the price to Go There. This I think will be especially true for Black-Owned Stores. So, having a Physical Store is more expensive, but definitely has something huge to offer that can be expanded upon.
Overall, just interesting to Read the history and see the Social Changes. Well Written and Documented Book. Author, Char Adams did an excellent job presenting all that occurred. I really enjoyed reading this. With Book Bans becoming extremely prevalent, some think it just affects that one book, but it has a chilling effect across the entire industry. So, anyone who does not think having access to a large selection of books is imperative, I believe needs to think that through. Reading does change thoughts and often that leads to action both personal and political. Definitely Recommend this Book if Interested in this type of History.
Thank you NetGalley, Buzz Books, and Penguin Group Dutton for a copy of this book. I always leave reviews of books I read.
I found this book did a great job with the history of Black-Owned and Black Represented Books. It covers a long period of how black-owned book stores started as revolutionary arms to causes that more radical groups were pushing forward. This was during the Civil Rights Area and Also when Blacks Rights were seen to represent not just the United States, but a Pan-African Movement. So, the book store became a place to find out about other groups and activities. This did not come at a small price as the book stores were monitored by the government.
As, times changed Black Readership expanded greatly, but had a more broad range of books. Women wanted to read books about their lives and were reading books that represented this. The Book Stores also offered a place of Community and could offer classes and Book Reading for Children. This was not something a Chain Store could offer. Further, since Black Book Store owners cultivated early talent, these authors stayed loyal to them and would come and speak at their book stores.
Challenges did come up. Chain Stores could offer big discounts and carried a larger selection of black themed books. Then when on-line ordering, especially through Amazon started, it became hard to compete. I think the challenge will always be, that an Independent Book Store must offer more, something you can not get just by ordering a book. There are different avenues to explore and think for all Independent Stores this will be the challenge that will continue. I find many independent book stores offer Author Events, so then will purchase a book at Full Price. Writing Work Shops and Independent Classes Work as Well. Otherwise, paying Full Price for a Pretty Shop that doesn’t offer Book Clubs or Other Community Events, I tend to like the store, but am not likely to pay 2X the price to Go There. This I think will be especially true for Black-Owned Stores. So, having a Physical Store is more expensive, but definitely has something huge to offer that can be expanded upon.
Overall, just interesting to Read the history and see the Social Changes. Well Written and Documented Book. Author, Char Adams did an excellent job presenting all that occurred. I really enjoyed reading this. With Book Bans becoming extremely prevalent, some think it just affects that one book, but it has a chilling effect across the entire industry. So, anyone who does not think having access to a large selection of books is imperative, I believe needs to think that through. Reading does change thoughts and often that leads to action both personal and political. Definitely Recommend this Book if Interested in this type of History.
Thank you NetGalley, Buzz Books, and Penguin Group Dutton for a copy of this book. I always leave reviews of books I read.
August 17, 2025
An excellent history both past and present, about Black and Black owned bookstores, here in the United States. This goes in depth as to how Black bookstores evolved, and survived, while being relegated to the margins in the book world. They started as places of revolution and as various movements grew, the bookstores adapted. Black bookstores are a true third space for their community while also educating and centering Black voices. A great read for all who love bookstores.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
December 10, 2025
A unique, fascinating, history of Black-owned bookshops.
November 30, 2025
“This book is not simply a comprehensive history but an account of the ways Black bookstores have served as the communal backbone pivotal to movements throughout our nation’s history.”
“Black bookstores have always been present. They were places of refuge and political action, where people felt safe to gather together and make plans for radical demonstrations. Now Black-owned bookstores have reclaimed their place not simply as a part of Black culture but as a centerpiece of Black resistance.”
These powerful words are from the end of this tremendous book from author and journalist Chad Adams. They drive home the basic point of “Black-Owned”—that Black-owned bookstores are more than just businesses—they are community institutions and centers of Black organizational, cultural, and educational development. To state differently, Black bookstores are the keepers of Black consciousness and the focal points of community-centered education and uplift.
“Black-Owned” is a real inspiration. At its core, it’s an account of the history and difficulties of Black institution building in a hostile, racial capitalist, and anti-Black society. Adams traces the history and development of Black-owned bookshops across the nation—beginning with pioneer and Underground Railroad revolutionary David Ruggles—all the way to the present day. In doing so, Adams highlights a remarkable story of grit, determination, and commitment to collective advancement of African Americans in this country, centered around the community bookstore. The book also provides insight on the varied and compelling details that go into operating a Black bookstore, thereby charting a pathway for the future of Black bookshop ownership rooted in understanding of the past.
“Black bookstores have always been present. They were places of refuge and political action, where people felt safe to gather together and make plans for radical demonstrations. Now Black-owned bookstores have reclaimed their place not simply as a part of Black culture but as a centerpiece of Black resistance.”
These powerful words are from the end of this tremendous book from author and journalist Chad Adams. They drive home the basic point of “Black-Owned”—that Black-owned bookstores are more than just businesses—they are community institutions and centers of Black organizational, cultural, and educational development. To state differently, Black bookstores are the keepers of Black consciousness and the focal points of community-centered education and uplift.
“Black-Owned” is a real inspiration. At its core, it’s an account of the history and difficulties of Black institution building in a hostile, racial capitalist, and anti-Black society. Adams traces the history and development of Black-owned bookshops across the nation—beginning with pioneer and Underground Railroad revolutionary David Ruggles—all the way to the present day. In doing so, Adams highlights a remarkable story of grit, determination, and commitment to collective advancement of African Americans in this country, centered around the community bookstore. The book also provides insight on the varied and compelling details that go into operating a Black bookstore, thereby charting a pathway for the future of Black bookshop ownership rooted in understanding of the past.
November 7, 2025
A great independent bookstore can become the heart of a community. This was even more true for black-owned bookshops in the 1960's to 90's. Because of the commitment of the store owners, members of the community could find books by black authors or on topics related to black history and civil rights that were rarely carried by other bookstores. This history was revealing and informative. Pick up your copy at your local independent bookstore!
December 9, 2025
4.5/5 - Informative, accessible, and thoroughly enjoyable.
October 15, 2025
Thank you to @prhaudio for the gifted ALC of Black-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore by Char Adams in exchange for my honest review.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧Audio: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Black-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore by Char Adams, narrated by Shayna Small, is a deeply researched and powerful chronicle of a vital yet often overlooked part of American history. Adams masterfully traces the rise, resilience, and reinvention of Black bookstores—from their roots in the Civil Rights era to their modern resurgence—placing them firmly within the broader cultural, political, and economic contexts that shaped them.
This book captures not only the struggles these stores faced amid shifting social landscapes but also the profound ways they nurtured community, fostered resistance, and created spaces of empowerment and knowledge. It’s both rigorous history and thoughtful analysis, illuminating how these bookstores became cultural lifelines and intellectual sanctuaries.
Shayna Small’s narration is beautiful and resonant, perfectly matching the tone and depth of Adams’s writing. Her delivery brings warmth and gravity to the stories, making the listening experience both informative and emotional.
A much-needed and long-overdue celebration of Black bookstores, Black-Owned is essential reading (and listening) for anyone interested in history, literature, and the power of community storytelling.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧Audio: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Black-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore by Char Adams, narrated by Shayna Small, is a deeply researched and powerful chronicle of a vital yet often overlooked part of American history. Adams masterfully traces the rise, resilience, and reinvention of Black bookstores—from their roots in the Civil Rights era to their modern resurgence—placing them firmly within the broader cultural, political, and economic contexts that shaped them.
This book captures not only the struggles these stores faced amid shifting social landscapes but also the profound ways they nurtured community, fostered resistance, and created spaces of empowerment and knowledge. It’s both rigorous history and thoughtful analysis, illuminating how these bookstores became cultural lifelines and intellectual sanctuaries.
Shayna Small’s narration is beautiful and resonant, perfectly matching the tone and depth of Adams’s writing. Her delivery brings warmth and gravity to the stories, making the listening experience both informative and emotional.
A much-needed and long-overdue celebration of Black bookstores, Black-Owned is essential reading (and listening) for anyone interested in history, literature, and the power of community storytelling.
November 20, 2025
The sheer amount of research that went into this history is staggering. Char Adams not only provides a broad overview of the history of black and black owned bookstores, but also tells the story of individual bookstores with such detail it’s like you were really there, watching it happen.
The history of David Ruggles, who was the first black bookseller and black bookstore owner in the States after his work with the Underground Railroad, is incredible and he needs to be more well known.
Required reading for anyone even slightly in the orbit of the publishing and bookselling industries
The history of David Ruggles, who was the first black bookseller and black bookstore owner in the States after his work with the Underground Railroad, is incredible and he needs to be more well known.
Required reading for anyone even slightly in the orbit of the publishing and bookselling industries
November 10, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Tiny Reparations Books for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I am always drawn towards well researched, socially engaging stories that spotlight resistance in all shapes and forms. Black Owned’s focus on abolition, civil rights history, and the Black Lives Matter organizing is right in my wheelhouse.
The book is a fast-paced book that relays portraits of community. It’s really an inspirational account of activism and community building, focusing on something many outside that community don’t think about: the Black Experience. Black owned bookstores don’t simply exist in a town or city; they are a gathering spot for uplifting a people that have often been minimized and overlooked for CENTURIES.
I am always drawn towards well researched, socially engaging stories that spotlight resistance in all shapes and forms. Black Owned’s focus on abolition, civil rights history, and the Black Lives Matter organizing is right in my wheelhouse.
The book is a fast-paced book that relays portraits of community. It’s really an inspirational account of activism and community building, focusing on something many outside that community don’t think about: the Black Experience. Black owned bookstores don’t simply exist in a town or city; they are a gathering spot for uplifting a people that have often been minimized and overlooked for CENTURIES.
November 10, 2025
This book was a great oral history of Black owned bookstores in the U.S. and how important they were and still are to the Black community. I love books like this that does a deep dive into these topics and talks to the people and visits the places that make these movements happen. The Black bookstore is very important throughout history and is still important today in the face of book bans and more right leaning groups and individuals trying to silence Black voices. Shout out to Turning Page Bookstore in Goose Creek, SC that was mentioned!!!
November 11, 2025
This was a fascinating and thorough history of Black book selling in America. From the 1800s to 2020s, Adams does an amazing job of highlighting the positive community impact and wins of Black bookstores alongside of their struggles against government interference, racism, and economic woes. Black-Owned is very timely in today’s climate of book-banning, library defunding and elevated conversations of politicization of books.
November 17, 2025
This book is a beautiful tribute to the history, culture, and impact of Black bookstores. Char Adams highlights the history and impact of Black bookstores, how they’ve shaped our communities and given space to voices that matter.
Supporting Black-owned bookstores (and Black-owned businesses in general) is not a trend. It’s about sustaining generations of resilience, creativity, and legacy. Reading this was both empowering and grounding.🤎
Supporting Black-owned bookstores (and Black-owned businesses in general) is not a trend. It’s about sustaining generations of resilience, creativity, and legacy. Reading this was both empowering and grounding.🤎
July 12, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book.
This book was a well-curated tour through the history and highs and lows of Black bookstores and the way they've woven themselves into the fabric of this country. There are few businesses that take on an activist bent quite like a bookshop, and that goes double for a business focused on promoting and advocating for civil rights.
While there are moments through the middle of the book that I felt veered a bit too far into different tangents (mainly flashing forward and backward in time), by the end the book wraps up nicely. The addition of recommended reading and a state-by-state list of active bookshops was outstanding.
As a long-time resident of the Dallas area, I had no idea that Pan-African Connection, The Dock Bookshop or Blacklit existed. I hope to visit soon to see what they've got and support them.
This book was a well-curated tour through the history and highs and lows of Black bookstores and the way they've woven themselves into the fabric of this country. There are few businesses that take on an activist bent quite like a bookshop, and that goes double for a business focused on promoting and advocating for civil rights.
While there are moments through the middle of the book that I felt veered a bit too far into different tangents (mainly flashing forward and backward in time), by the end the book wraps up nicely. The addition of recommended reading and a state-by-state list of active bookshops was outstanding.
As a long-time resident of the Dallas area, I had no idea that Pan-African Connection, The Dock Bookshop or Blacklit existed. I hope to visit soon to see what they've got and support them.
October 26, 2025
Black-Owned celebrates the history of Black bookstores. It is filled with political activism, the power of community despite the sometimes-violence that invokes, along with what it takes to persevere through it all. Black book-lovers carried the cause of the violent demise of the original first owned black book store. During the twentieth century, civil rights and Black Power activists started a Black bookstore wave across the nation. Despite these struggles, black-owned bookshops could become places of celebrations and several stores made national headlines when the demand for them and their cause rose when the Black Lives Matter focus began. In today's current political climate, Black bookstores are needed now more than ever.
June 27, 2025
Wow!! A dissertation on the etiology of black bookstores in America… As a book lover and avid supporter of black authors, this book thoroughly intrigued me and spoke to the side of my brain that thirsts for knowledge. Char Adams just gave me the educational lesson that I never knew I needed. Her thorough research of black bookstores was well crafted and gave us a historical perspective with pertinent details. I personally had no idea how the need for black bookstores emerged nor their importance. This has been one of the integral details, like many others, excluded from history books. Likewise, word of mouth or passing down information through black generations has not been enough to preserve the significance of black bookstores.
This book also includes the top 10 reads recommended for every black person. I must admit that I’ve only read five, so I have homework as a result of reading this gem. I also appreciated the glossary of current black bookstores throughout the country and categorized by state. This was a great addition that I will be using in my travels! This treatise is so timely and well constructed. It is one of those books that should be perched on a bookshelf or coffee table in every black home. Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the e-ARC!
This book also includes the top 10 reads recommended for every black person. I must admit that I’ve only read five, so I have homework as a result of reading this gem. I also appreciated the glossary of current black bookstores throughout the country and categorized by state. This was a great addition that I will be using in my travels! This treatise is so timely and well constructed. It is one of those books that should be perched on a bookshelf or coffee table in every black home. Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the e-ARC!
November 16, 2025
Long before computer algorithms were providing recommendations based on your reading history, there were independent bookstores that offered a personal touch to the transaction between the customer and the retailer. A large portion of the Black-owned stores operating throughout the United States was community-oriented and served as a gathering place for voices wanting to be heard. Currently, there are 130 Black-owned bookstores in the US, though there have been ebbs and flows in those numbers over the last century.
David Ruggles may not have known that he would be a trendsetter when opening the first Black-owned bookstore in the United States, located in Lower Manhattan. Ruggles was a compassionate man who ably assisted fellow Black men and women in learning to read and helped them decipher legal documents. He was an abolitionist who aided many escaped slaves as they traveled north via the Underground Railroad. His activism led to his bookstore being targeted for destruction, but arson wouldn’t deter his resolve, and his establishment would reopen. Despite an untimely death at the age of 39, his spirit would live on in future booksellers.
In 1933, Lewis Michaux established the National Memorial African Bookstore in Harlem. Michaux believed in educating over profits, and he was a proponent of Black nationalism. His business endured for four decades, and when he wasn’t in the store, he was advocating for the rights of Black Americans.
Charlie Cobb was active in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) before opening Drum and Spear in Washington, DC in 1968. He and his partner, Courtland Cox, wanted to promote Black authors from all over the globe. The store built its inventory through wholesalers, assembling an eclectic selection of literature for customers to peruse. In the 1960s, during the age of activism, college students and newly awakened revolutionaries flocked to stores such as Drum and Spear and bought THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X or Mao Tse-tung’s LITTLE RED BOOK.
While bookstore owners like Una Mulzac saw books as tools of revolution, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover viewed certain Black-owned bookstores as subversive influences and had more than a few placed under surveillance under COINTELPRO, short for Counterintelligence Program. Despite the intimidation tactics employed by Hoover’s G-Men, the owners of the targeted stores didn’t back down.
The success of many Black-owned bookstores was due to enterprising owners who provided books that were frequently missing from mainstream bookstores and chains. Stores like Eso Won Books in Los Angeles carried compelling literature that was occasionally deemed “controversial,” such as THE COLOR PURPLE by Alice Walker. Stores like the Hue-Man Experience in Denver promoted the work of various authors through book readings and signings, which provided another way to connect to the local community. The rise of Amazon and the dawn of digital books have landed a gutshot, yet the customer-friendly experience is not easily replicated. There is no substitute for a business that can function as a museum of knowledge, a shared space to exchange ideas, or a shelter from the storm.
BLACK-OWNED is a truly fascinating history of bookstores owned and operated by African Americans since the 19th century. Whether the store was run by a sole proprietor or a partnership, male or female, they were all united in their community activism and sharing their love of books. Owners faced harassment from authorities, devastation from riots, and financial ruin from gentrification or big-box stores. And while some bookstores were able to withstand many onslaughts, others would be forced to close their doors.
Longtime NBC News reporter Char Adams provides a wealth of information about the numerous stores she cites in her book, whether they are landmark businesses, such as Hakim’s Bookstore in Philadelphia, or those just beginning to make their mark, like BlackLIT, headquartered out of Dallas. This is an enlightening book about progress as much as it is about cultivating a love of reading. Adams has produced an impactful work that should be proudly displayed on many bookshelves.
Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro
David Ruggles may not have known that he would be a trendsetter when opening the first Black-owned bookstore in the United States, located in Lower Manhattan. Ruggles was a compassionate man who ably assisted fellow Black men and women in learning to read and helped them decipher legal documents. He was an abolitionist who aided many escaped slaves as they traveled north via the Underground Railroad. His activism led to his bookstore being targeted for destruction, but arson wouldn’t deter his resolve, and his establishment would reopen. Despite an untimely death at the age of 39, his spirit would live on in future booksellers.
In 1933, Lewis Michaux established the National Memorial African Bookstore in Harlem. Michaux believed in educating over profits, and he was a proponent of Black nationalism. His business endured for four decades, and when he wasn’t in the store, he was advocating for the rights of Black Americans.
Charlie Cobb was active in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) before opening Drum and Spear in Washington, DC in 1968. He and his partner, Courtland Cox, wanted to promote Black authors from all over the globe. The store built its inventory through wholesalers, assembling an eclectic selection of literature for customers to peruse. In the 1960s, during the age of activism, college students and newly awakened revolutionaries flocked to stores such as Drum and Spear and bought THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X or Mao Tse-tung’s LITTLE RED BOOK.
While bookstore owners like Una Mulzac saw books as tools of revolution, FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover viewed certain Black-owned bookstores as subversive influences and had more than a few placed under surveillance under COINTELPRO, short for Counterintelligence Program. Despite the intimidation tactics employed by Hoover’s G-Men, the owners of the targeted stores didn’t back down.
The success of many Black-owned bookstores was due to enterprising owners who provided books that were frequently missing from mainstream bookstores and chains. Stores like Eso Won Books in Los Angeles carried compelling literature that was occasionally deemed “controversial,” such as THE COLOR PURPLE by Alice Walker. Stores like the Hue-Man Experience in Denver promoted the work of various authors through book readings and signings, which provided another way to connect to the local community. The rise of Amazon and the dawn of digital books have landed a gutshot, yet the customer-friendly experience is not easily replicated. There is no substitute for a business that can function as a museum of knowledge, a shared space to exchange ideas, or a shelter from the storm.
BLACK-OWNED is a truly fascinating history of bookstores owned and operated by African Americans since the 19th century. Whether the store was run by a sole proprietor or a partnership, male or female, they were all united in their community activism and sharing their love of books. Owners faced harassment from authorities, devastation from riots, and financial ruin from gentrification or big-box stores. And while some bookstores were able to withstand many onslaughts, others would be forced to close their doors.
Longtime NBC News reporter Char Adams provides a wealth of information about the numerous stores she cites in her book, whether they are landmark businesses, such as Hakim’s Bookstore in Philadelphia, or those just beginning to make their mark, like BlackLIT, headquartered out of Dallas. This is an enlightening book about progress as much as it is about cultivating a love of reading. Adams has produced an impactful work that should be proudly displayed on many bookshelves.
Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro
November 4, 2025
Next to a library, a bookstore is one of the best places to get books. But like a library, community support and funding are key to the long term survival and success of a bookstore. For Black-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore Char Adams presents the history of known Black owned bookstores in America, focused on the reasons for their founding, ties to broader political or cultural movements and the highs and lows of economics change. The haze of knowledge is one of the more critical takeaways of the book, as Adams was only able to discuss stores where there was some archival trace of their existence.
The book begins in the 1830s and tells the life of David Ruggles who opened a bookstore and reading room promoting works on abolitionism in New York City. His goal was to offer a place to gather, learn and read, a privileged already enjoyed by many European immigrants, but was radical for the time and faced fierce opposition, including arson. From their Adams moves to the 1930s, and to other cities and bookstores. Each section details the impetus for the founder to establish the stores. Some of them where direct results of activism or organized groups such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee or the Black Panthers. Many of the stores were founding to cover a clear gap in access, one cannot learn history from the coverage in schools alone, especially when that narrative is so controlled and prey to political manipulation.
A continual theme is of the balancing act the stores had to run. Those established with the support of an organization or who had clear political foci were surveilled by the FBI or faced continual issues to their day to day operations through institutionalized harassment.
Like other areas of American history, there is the eventual commodification of the movement. Adams notes the growth of Barnes & Noble and other mainstream or mall focused booksellers and their embrace of Black authors following their wide popularity, such as in the choices of Oprah's recommending books. Stores that had more of a community focus, or as we've seen in 'bookstores' of today, offerings that extend beyond just books such as event space, author talks or more wide ranging product offerings.
The stores benefited from the police killings, pandemic, and racial unrest of 2020, but the owners rightly wondered how to parse this support in the face of tragedy. They benefited from the increased support and financial resources but needed to find sustainable paths forward, with the full expectation it would not be likely to last. The latter is a topic still not fully solved, with a clear shift in the public discourse and support evident by the results of US presidential elections, but at least 130 stores continue to be open and provide access.
Recommended to readers of American print cultures, Black resistance to the mainstream or the importance of access to books.
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
The book begins in the 1830s and tells the life of David Ruggles who opened a bookstore and reading room promoting works on abolitionism in New York City. His goal was to offer a place to gather, learn and read, a privileged already enjoyed by many European immigrants, but was radical for the time and faced fierce opposition, including arson. From their Adams moves to the 1930s, and to other cities and bookstores. Each section details the impetus for the founder to establish the stores. Some of them where direct results of activism or organized groups such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee or the Black Panthers. Many of the stores were founding to cover a clear gap in access, one cannot learn history from the coverage in schools alone, especially when that narrative is so controlled and prey to political manipulation.
A continual theme is of the balancing act the stores had to run. Those established with the support of an organization or who had clear political foci were surveilled by the FBI or faced continual issues to their day to day operations through institutionalized harassment.
Like other areas of American history, there is the eventual commodification of the movement. Adams notes the growth of Barnes & Noble and other mainstream or mall focused booksellers and their embrace of Black authors following their wide popularity, such as in the choices of Oprah's recommending books. Stores that had more of a community focus, or as we've seen in 'bookstores' of today, offerings that extend beyond just books such as event space, author talks or more wide ranging product offerings.
The stores benefited from the police killings, pandemic, and racial unrest of 2020, but the owners rightly wondered how to parse this support in the face of tragedy. They benefited from the increased support and financial resources but needed to find sustainable paths forward, with the full expectation it would not be likely to last. The latter is a topic still not fully solved, with a clear shift in the public discourse and support evident by the results of US presidential elections, but at least 130 stores continue to be open and provide access.
Recommended to readers of American print cultures, Black resistance to the mainstream or the importance of access to books.
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
November 4, 2025
💫 Initial Vibes
What if the bookstore were the revolution?
What if literacy itself were a form of liberation?
What if every corner shop, lined with books by and for Black people, was a frontline?
📚 What It’s About
Char Adams traces the powerful, defiant, and often-overlooked history of Black-owned bookstores in the U.S. from abolitionist David Ruggles’s 19th-century shop (where Frederick Douglass found freedom) to 20th-century cultural hubs like Clara Villarosa’s The Hue-Man Bookstore in Denver, and into the corporate betrayals of the late 1990s and early 2000s, where publishing giants quietly aided the extinction of indie Black bookstores to appease retail behemoths.
It’s a biography of place, purpose, and the people who believed that every Black child deserved access to books that reflected their own experiences. That knowledge could be communal. That freedom could be read into being.
🖤 What I Loved
David Ruggles as icon. (Douglass called him “the first officer of the Underground Railroad,” and even helped him get his first job in the North.)
Clara Villarosa’s brilliance. She built a Black-owned alternative to Denver’s iconic Tattered Cover, becoming a beacon for authors and readers alike.
The receipts. This book names names. $25 million Penguin settlement. S&S cozying up to B&N. The way “market consolidation” was code for “erasure of the community.”
Revolution vs. Reform. One of the most compelling threads is how Black bookstores thrived during moments of mass uprising (civil rights, Black Power, Ferguson), only to falter when the country attempted to “heal” without actually making lasting changes.
The character work. Adams gives each bookseller dignity and voice. She sketches their hopes, their fire, and their exhaustion, always anchoring them in their historical moment.
🧭 Vibe Check
📖 Narrative nonfiction with historical backbone
📚 Bookstore nerdery, but make it Black and radical
✊🏽 Intergenerational legacy and cultural resistance
💵 Publishing tea (the bitter kind)
🕊️ Hope grounded in community, not corporations
💌 Final Thoughts
This is a book for anyone who’s ever walked into a neighborhood bookstore and felt seen.
It's also for the kids who have been followed through big box stores and shown that they are not welcome.
For anyone who believes reading is not passive but revolutionary.
And for anyone ready to reckon with how capitalism, white supremacy, and mainstream publishing worked together to silence and sometimes erase Black literary spaces.
Char Adams honors her elders. She indicts the systematic destruction of Black culture. She invites us to imagine what’s possible when Black people are able to own their own stories.
✨ Rating: 5 stars
Required reading for anyone who loves books,
What if the bookstore were the revolution?
What if literacy itself were a form of liberation?
What if every corner shop, lined with books by and for Black people, was a frontline?
📚 What It’s About
Char Adams traces the powerful, defiant, and often-overlooked history of Black-owned bookstores in the U.S. from abolitionist David Ruggles’s 19th-century shop (where Frederick Douglass found freedom) to 20th-century cultural hubs like Clara Villarosa’s The Hue-Man Bookstore in Denver, and into the corporate betrayals of the late 1990s and early 2000s, where publishing giants quietly aided the extinction of indie Black bookstores to appease retail behemoths.
It’s a biography of place, purpose, and the people who believed that every Black child deserved access to books that reflected their own experiences. That knowledge could be communal. That freedom could be read into being.
🖤 What I Loved
David Ruggles as icon. (Douglass called him “the first officer of the Underground Railroad,” and even helped him get his first job in the North.)
Clara Villarosa’s brilliance. She built a Black-owned alternative to Denver’s iconic Tattered Cover, becoming a beacon for authors and readers alike.
The receipts. This book names names. $25 million Penguin settlement. S&S cozying up to B&N. The way “market consolidation” was code for “erasure of the community.”
Revolution vs. Reform. One of the most compelling threads is how Black bookstores thrived during moments of mass uprising (civil rights, Black Power, Ferguson), only to falter when the country attempted to “heal” without actually making lasting changes.
The character work. Adams gives each bookseller dignity and voice. She sketches their hopes, their fire, and their exhaustion, always anchoring them in their historical moment.
🧭 Vibe Check
📖 Narrative nonfiction with historical backbone
📚 Bookstore nerdery, but make it Black and radical
✊🏽 Intergenerational legacy and cultural resistance
💵 Publishing tea (the bitter kind)
🕊️ Hope grounded in community, not corporations
💌 Final Thoughts
This is a book for anyone who’s ever walked into a neighborhood bookstore and felt seen.
It's also for the kids who have been followed through big box stores and shown that they are not welcome.
For anyone who believes reading is not passive but revolutionary.
And for anyone ready to reckon with how capitalism, white supremacy, and mainstream publishing worked together to silence and sometimes erase Black literary spaces.
Char Adams honors her elders. She indicts the systematic destruction of Black culture. She invites us to imagine what’s possible when Black people are able to own their own stories.
✨ Rating: 5 stars
Required reading for anyone who loves books,
November 17, 2025
This book is an essential addition to Black history, literary history, and really, overall, to American history. Author Char Adams has done an utterly brilliant job of researching and contextualizing the ways in which Black bookstores have supported, enriched, empowered, educated and connected Black communities for over a century. At the same time, these Black-owned stores have prevailed against all odds — despite being harassed by governmental authorities from local police departments to city building agencies to the FBI and the IRS.
In the pre-internet era, these bookstores gave Black readers access to works of literature and history, scholarly works, children's books and popular fiction that they could not obtain elsewhere because mainstream bookstores wouldn't carry them or didn't know they existed. In recent years, many of these bookstores have faced competition from mainstream booksellers who finally recognized that readers are hungry and ready to buy titles that had previously only been available through Black-owned bookstores. Unfortunately, the discount pricing offered by chains and online sellers, made possible by the volume of business they do with publishers — has often undercut Black booksellers, making it even harder for the Black-owned stores to survive.
And yet, although their numbers have fluctuated, these stores HAVE survived and in many cases, thrived, despite financial ups and downs and cultural vicissitudes. As Adams demonstrates, these booksellers have not only curated collections for their customers, but they've also created bespoke forums for writers and scholars to speak in person about their work and cultivate audiences, all while building community by providing safe physical spaces for learning, activism, connection and support.
In the pre-internet era, these bookstores gave Black readers access to works of literature and history, scholarly works, children's books and popular fiction that they could not obtain elsewhere because mainstream bookstores wouldn't carry them or didn't know they existed. In recent years, many of these bookstores have faced competition from mainstream booksellers who finally recognized that readers are hungry and ready to buy titles that had previously only been available through Black-owned bookstores. Unfortunately, the discount pricing offered by chains and online sellers, made possible by the volume of business they do with publishers — has often undercut Black booksellers, making it even harder for the Black-owned stores to survive.
And yet, although their numbers have fluctuated, these stores HAVE survived and in many cases, thrived, despite financial ups and downs and cultural vicissitudes. As Adams demonstrates, these booksellers have not only curated collections for their customers, but they've also created bespoke forums for writers and scholars to speak in person about their work and cultivate audiences, all while building community by providing safe physical spaces for learning, activism, connection and support.
November 2, 2025
As a reader one doesn’t always think how hard it can be for some small bookstores to stay open, often times we go to big chains to pick up books for the discount and the convenience of it. This book has opened my eyes to that issue and to a wider problem. The author explains the struggles of people of color from the first bookstore ever open by a black man and the grit it took to open and remain open amongst the competition. The publishing world is cut throat and their decisions trickle to minorities who own bookstores and who are trying to survive affecting them in ways we didn’t consider, in order to know you must read the book. This book is accompanied by photos and descriptions in every chapter. Honestly, i knew it was hard for independent bookstores but i didn’t know it was far worse for those of color. Supporting small businesses especially of color will help somewhat with the imbalance but there needs to be more done to help and support our local black entrepreneurs flourish. This book opened my eyes to it, i highly recommend it if you like history and facts. I want to thank the author for having written this book and allowing a wider audience to read about it. I also want to thank NetGalley for letting me read this ARC.
April 9, 2025
Char Adams tackles a lesser-explored topic in Black-Owned. Her book considers the black-owned bookstore owner, the store, the surrounding communities, the books and their authors, and the publishing world. While the political and economic climates affected the peaks and valleys of the life of the stores, the concept of connection through books prevails.
A fascinating piece of American History paired with Adams' writing style make this an enjoyable nonfiction read. Her meticulous research, spanning almost 100 years, includes interviews, photos, and references. Additionally, she adds a resource section at the end of her book, listing black-owned stores by state and black-owned online stores.
I highly recommended this book to history buffs, entrepreneurs, booklovers, and anyone looking for an uplifting nonfiction read.
[I look forward to sharing more about this book on its publication date and appreciate ARC.]
#BlackOwned #Netgalley #nonfiction
A fascinating piece of American History paired with Adams' writing style make this an enjoyable nonfiction read. Her meticulous research, spanning almost 100 years, includes interviews, photos, and references. Additionally, she adds a resource section at the end of her book, listing black-owned stores by state and black-owned online stores.
I highly recommended this book to history buffs, entrepreneurs, booklovers, and anyone looking for an uplifting nonfiction read.
[I look forward to sharing more about this book on its publication date and appreciate ARC.]
#BlackOwned #Netgalley #nonfiction
September 28, 2025
A rigorously researched history, past and present, of black-owned bookstores in the US. Intertwined, of course, with stories of the civil rights movement and various trends in the greater book selling world. Black owned bookstores faced many more problems than their white-owned counterparts including racism, vandalism, interference from local law enforcement and the FBI, difficulty in obtaining merchandise, and finding capital. All bookstores want to be part of their communities and a center for their neighborhood, but this is even more true of the black owned bookstores. Additionally they faced the same challenges as conventional bookstores in that ebooks and social media changed some of their core mission. A fascinating account. received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 11, 2025
"Black-Owned" by Char Adams is an eye-opening exploration of the vital role Black-owned bookstores play in shaping communities. Adams illustrates how these spaces are more than retail; they are hubs of activism, cultural preservation, and representation. Through compelling narratives, the book highlights how these stores amplify Black voices and foster a sense of belonging, while also confronting the harsh realities of sustaining an independent business in the age of Amazon and big-box retailers. The tension between cultural significance and economic survival is palpable, making this book both inspiring and sobering. Adams doesn’t just chronicle history; she urges readers to consider the future of these essential spaces. It’s a powerful reminder that where we buy books matters.
Read
December 11, 2025This book was so well written and depicts the challenges of the black bookstore throughout the decades and many of those challenges (and more) remain in current play. The efforts of those who pushed for black literature to become available to their communities were and are heroes in a country that continues to marginalize BIPOC creators and consumers. This book chronicles the rise and fall of several black independent booksellers and peels back to the early booksellers leaning all in on political movements throughout the years that so adversely affected our nation and our nation’s readers.
This is a very engaging read (and listen) for all bibliophiles and lovers of books.
Thank you @charadams
This is a very engaging read (and listen) for all bibliophiles and lovers of books.
Thank you @charadams
October 7, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Black-Owned by Char Adams was one of the non fiction books included in the Fall/Winter 2025 sampler that I decided to request the entire book. I found it extremely well written and researched. The author presented information about the roles black owned book stores played beginning with the Civil Rights movement to Black Lives Matters. I feel this is an extremely important book to read in regards to American history, activism, and community.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication Date: Nov 4, 2025
#BlackOwned #NetGalley
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication Date: Nov 4, 2025
#BlackOwned #NetGalley
November 7, 2025
I’m not putting pros and cons on a nonfiction book. I’m just going to say that anyone who loves books, bookstores and community should give this book a try. Black Owned discusses so many set backs, hardships and injustices these bookstores faced but what it really highlights is that they never gave up. They kept trying, adjusting to changes in the battle and changes in the way people shop. I wish there were versions of this book about other marginalized groups of booksellers because I think we would see a lot of common struggles as well as strengths in those on the front lines.
November 21, 2025
Black-Owned is a compelling and insightful history of how Black bookstores have shaped political movements, built community, and uplifted Black writers and readers. Char Adams blends rigorous research with personal storytelling, creating a narrative that feels both timely and deeply moving. I found it fascinating and richly detailed, especially in a moment when books by Black authors and books about equity, diversity, and inclusion are being challenged. A resonant and energizing read.
Thank you to Tiny Reparations Books, Penguin Group, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
Thank you to Tiny Reparations Books, Penguin Group, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
November 21, 2025
Discover the powerful legacy of Black bookstores in "Black-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore." This book tells the history of how these bookstores became crucial spaces for Black thought. From the abolition movement to the civil rights era, these spaces faced surveillance and suppression. Through accounts of resilience and community, this book tells a story. Thank you to Tiny Reparations Books for the advance copy for review all opinions are my own.
November 11, 2025
An important, well researched, & interesting look at Black-owned bookstores, starting with David Ruggles, an abolitionist & Black man who opened a bookstore in New York in 1834! Would love to visit & shop at some of the current ones, and will work at reading the 10 books these booksellers would like everyone to read (I’ve read 3 already).
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