Haley Newlin’s Reviews > Black-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore > Status Update

Black bookstores regularly surveilled by the FBI

“There is beauty in putting an end to a dream when you are satisfied with it.”

From 1950-2018 95% of books published by major publishers were written by white authors

Black bookstores hold answers that you won’t find in the mainstream

White-owned chain bookstores were waging war on Black bookstores, exploiting the industry, and underselling Black books, quickly abolishing their independent competitors

Favorite part of this book so far is Maya Angelou coming up behind a stressed bookseller and asking “Do you know any sweet words?”

J Edgar Hoover of the FBI launched surveillance of Black bookstores

President Kennedy doesn’t acknowledge the extreme violence against the black community in Birmingham, Alabama, including the bombing of a church that killed 6 children

David Ruggles was the first “officer” of the Underground Railroad and helped over 600 Africans escape slavery. Later, he opened the first black-owned bookstore which was subject to mob attacks

“Black bookstores have always been at the center of Black resistance.”