Title
Declaring April 7th as National Black Bookstore Day.
Body
WHEREAS, the rich cultural heritage of the United States is deeply shaped by Black storytellers, scholars, publishers, and entrepreneurs who have preserved, published, and shared knowledge through literature and community institutions; and
WHEREAS, throughout history, African Americans have made significant contributions to the culture, economy, and social fabric of our country, and have played an integral role in shaping the independent bookstore industry- even though Black-owned bookstores represent less than 8% of all booksellers in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Black-owned bookstores have long served as vital institutions for education, activism, cultural expression, civic dialogue, and economic empowerment, especially during periods when mainstream institutions excluded or ignored Black voices; and
WHEREAS, since the 19th century, Black visionary entrepreneurs have established bookstores that became sacred spaces for intellectual growth, cultural preservation, and political engagement, including David Ruggles’ bookstore (1834), George Young’s Young’s Book Exchange (1915), Lewis Michaux’s African National Memorial Bookstore (circa 1932), Marshall’s Music & Bookstore (est. 1938), Hakim’s Bookstore (1959), Marcus Books (1960), Liberation Bookstore (1967), and Hue-Man Bookstore & Café (1984); and
WHEREAS, from the 1960s through the 1990s, Black-owned bookstores served as epicenters of community organizing, education, artistic expression, and historic preservation within African American communities nationwide; and
WHEREAS, the number of Black-owned bookstores declined significantly over recent decades-from more than 325 in 1999 to just 54 in 2014-many operating under substantial financial strain; and
WHEREAS, in recent years, renewed national attention to racial equity and community investment has contributed to a resurgence of Black-owned bookstores, with nearly 300 operating across the Un...
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