Image @ boulderdowntown.com
A new organization dedicated to uplifting Black-owned bookstores has been founded. The National Association of Black Bookstores (NAB2) officially launched on August 6, 2025, and is the first and only collective focused solely on supporting Black-owned bookstores and booksellers in the United States.
NAB2 is a nonprofit, member-based organization created to “promote literacy, amplify Black voices and preserve Black culture by increasing the visibility, sustainability and impact of Black bookstores and booksellers.”
Its founding board includes representatives from some of the nation’s historic Black bookstores, such as Marshall’s Music and Book Store in Jackson, Mississippi; Marcus Books in Oakland, California; Hakim’s Bookstore in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Source Booksellers in Detroit, Michigan.
The organization was founded by Kevin Johnson, former mayor of Sacramento and owner of Underground Books.
Johnson said the venture is deeply personal, honoring his mother, “Mother Rose,” who founded Underground Books in Oak Park. “My involvement in the National Association of Black Bookstores is deeply personal. It’s a way for me to honor her legacy and ensure that the stories, voices and spaces she cherished continue to thrive,” he said.
In addition to the board of directors, NAB2 will include an advisory board and a general membership. The group plans to meet both virtually and in person through the year, including during New York’s Black Lit Weekend in August and the Sacramento Black Book Fair in September.
NAB2’s core organizational values include elevating and advocating for the Black bookstore community, increasing representation within the bookselling industry, and educating the public about the legacy and history of Black bookstores across the nation.
Additionally, industry voices express strong support. Blanche Richardson, a founding board member and owner of Marcus Books, said, “For decades Black bookstores have been the connective tissue in communities across the nation. Many of us have talked for years about the power of collective action and now, with the founding of NAB2 we have the ability to institutionalize policies and practices that will allow for the further growth and flourishing of these important institutions.”
While NAB2 is the first national membership-based nonprofit solely for Black-owned bookstores, it shares some goals with the Black Bookstore Coalition, an informal network of booksellers that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic to help sustain Black bookstores through online events and mutual promotion.
However, unlike the coalition, which functions more as a grassroots support system, NAB2 is structured with a formal board, advisory committees, and planned annual events, aiming to centralize advocacy and resources for long-term sustainability.
By: Joshua Narh