Historic Home Associated With Dr. Martin Luther King Relocated In St. Augustine
The home was rented by Dr. King during his campaign to highlight the racism in Florida.
A historic Florida home frequently rented by Dr. Martin Luther King has been relocated to another part of St. Augustine.
Dr. King used the home during the Civil Rights Movement, and it has since become a symbol of its ties to the famed social justice leader. Wanting to keep the home intact but needing a new location, the entire house was uprooted and loaded onto a trailer for its new location.
According to First Coast News, the home left Butler Beach and now resides in Collier-Blocker-Puryear Park in West St. Augustine. The scene came as a surprise to many residents, especially as a whole stable house took up the highway.
It’s not every day you see a house come down the street,” said Leslee Keys, a St. Augustine resident.
While amazed at the sight, Keys also shared her excitement about the home coming to this side of town. The home could become a new attraction to the area, especially given its significance to Dr. King’s legacy.
“Anything like this will attract attention in a positive way, it’s way more than symbolic, it’s also bringing together two chapters in St. Augustine’s history. So yes, very exciting,” Keys said.
Dr. King used the home during his 1964 campaign to address racism in the St. Augustine area. He stayed at the beach property while driving attention to his cause, but also sparked the ire of white supremacists in the area.
Opponents to King’s cause set the house on fire, believing King was inside. The arson left the home nearly destroyed, but a couple bought the home and restored it. However, one bullet hole in its sliding glass door remains, serving as a reminder of King’s plight for justice.
Another couple then bought the home in 2021. They hoped to build around it, but local governance denied these efforts. These challenges left them with a choice between demolishing or moving it.
They opted for the latter, leading to the house’s new location. The last owner donated the home to St. Johns County, with its Parks Foundation gaining state funds for its relocation.
Now, the house will serve as an exhibit, further detailing King’s activism in the state of Florida.
“This will serve as an exhibit to give us a reason to talk about the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Dr. King, and Dr. Robert B. Hayling,” shared Troy Blevins, the project manager for St. Johns County Park Foundation. “It tells the story of that time.”
Trump Orders Colleges To Submit Race-Related Admissions Data
Trump's new executive order demands colleges turn over race-related admissions data to the government.
On Aug. 7, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to further dictate how universities conduct their admissions processes. Although the Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that universities could not use affirmative action to admit students, the court left room for race to be considered via admission essays if the applicant’s race shaped their lives in significant ways. Trump’s new executive order requires colleges to turn over race-related admissions data to the government.
According to The Associated Press, Trump’s executive order takes aim at that loophole, arguing that allowing essays to consider race is just another way of implementing affirmative action, which conservatives consider an unfair disadvantage to white people, particularly white men.
“The persistent lack of available data — paired with the rampant use of ‘diversity statements’ and other overt and hidden racial proxies — continues to raise concerns about whether race is actually used in admissions decisions in practice,” Trump’s memorandum stated.
The Trump administration has been engaged in proxy battles with higher education since his inauguration in January. Conservatives have long held that higher education and elite universities are hostile to their particular worldview. In addition, the Trump administration has consistently used the idea that universities like Harvard, Brown, and Columbia have allowed antisemitism to flourish on their campuses to cut funding and manipulate those universities into allowing unprecedented federal control.
The latter pair of universities agreed to pay hundreds of millions in fines to the federal government. In exchange for access to the substantial research funds it had previously frozen, the universities agreed to furnish the government with data on the race and ethnicity, grade point averages, and standardized test scores of applicants, admitted students and enrolled students at those institutions.
“This does set up a bit of a road map, unfortunately, that I think is probably going to ripple across higher education. This most likely has emboldened the Trump administration,” Shahverdian said.
Likewise, Connor Murnane, the campus advocacy chief of staff at The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), told the outlet that these settlements set a chilling precedent.
“In the end, Columbia’s capitulation and Harvard’s behind-the-scenes negotiation send a troubling message to colleges and universities nationwide: yield to political pressure, and the pressure may momentarily subside. But behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated. This is not civil rights enforcement, it is political coercion under the color of law,” Murnane stated.
According to NPR, shortly after Trump issued his presidential memorandum, Trump’s Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, who is committed to dismantling the department she oversees, directed the National Center for Education Statistics to collect more data about students.
“We will not allow institutions to blight the dreams of students by presuming that their skin color matters more than their hard work and accomplishments,” McMahon argued in a statement. “The Trump Administration will ensure that meritocracy and excellence once again characterize American higher education.”
Ted Mitchell, the president of the American Council on Education (ACE), and a former undersecretary of education in the Obama administration, indicated that he doesn’t believe that the Department of Education will be able to process all of that data in a timely manner.
“This is a fishing expedition,” the department, he said, is casting “a really big net,” and given the massive cuts to the workforce, the department won’t be able to adequately dig into the mass of data that will be dumped onto its desks.
He continued, “This is why we have recommendation letters. This is why we care if someone’s been on an athletic team [or] if they’re a cellist. Because we want to get a better picture of what those numbers mean; all [the Supreme Court] said was, you can’t use race as a determining factor, even though they also said diversity is really important.”
Durham Tech, located in the same city as Duke University, is a majority-minority campus, like other community colleges across the country. It is much more reflective of the community it’s situated in than the larger university that produced NBA stars Grant Hill, Kyrie Irving, and Jason Tatum.
As George Boggs, the emeritus president of the American Association of Community Colleges and a founding member of Education for All, told New York Times Magazine, “They’re (the Trump administration) after the Ivy League institutions, but we’re affected by the same legislation, the same executive orders. Except it can be worse for us, because our students are more diverse, and they need different kinds of support.”
New Wellness Platform Offers Black Entrepreneurs Facing Burnout Free Therapy Before It Breaks Them
There’s a new nonprofit dedicated to empowering Black founders and entrepreneurs through free therapy services.
Mental burnout is a common part of entrepreneurship and building a business from the ground up. A new nonprofit aims to tackle this often-overlooked crisis that many minority entrepreneurs are forced to face alone.
Enter FoundnWell, a new platform that’s stepping in to support minority entrepreneurs by providing free mental health services for those who too often navigate the pressure, burnout, and anxiety of building from scratch, as a solo journey. Founded by wellness pioneer Samia Gore, founder of BodyCompleteRx, the platform is designed to address the unique emotional needs of women and minority entrepreneurs, founders, and creatives, reminding them that you don’t have to break to build.
“FoundnWell was born from my own breaking point,” Gore tells BLACK ENTERPRISE. “I was in the middle of scaling a multimillion-dollar brand, navigating high-stakes decisions and pressure from all directions, but I was also just trying to survive life.”
While making history as the first Black woman to own a supplement brand sold at The Vitamin Shoppe, Gore conceived FoundnWell—a dedicated hub and safe space to tackle the often-overlooked challenges faced by marginalized leaders in high-pressure environments.
“As entrepreneurs, we’re still human. Behind the titles and milestones, I was going through a divorce, battling anxiety and depression, and trying to keep it all together,” Gore candidly shared. “The world applauds our success, but rarely sees the emotional toll it takes to get there. Foundnwell was created to give founders what I didn’t have — a space to be supported, to be seen, and to be well. It’s where ambition and healing can finally coexist.”
Debuting in Miami during the African Black Film Festival, FoundnWell was born out of a response to the surge of Black founders launching businesses at historic rates, often while shouldering generational stress, financial strain, and isolation. It stands among the first mental health nonprofits built for us, by us, with a dedicated focus on the founder experience.
“Imposter syndrome, burnout, and isolation top the list,” Gore says of the common mental health challenges Black founders face. “But beneath those are deeper wounds: feeling unseen by investors, unsupported by traditional wellness spaces, and held to impossible standards while carrying generational expectations. Many minority founders are not just building businesses; they’re breaking cycles. That emotional load is heavy. Without culturally competent care or community, many suffer in silence until it’s too late. That’s what Foundnwell aims to interrupt.”
Among its services, FoundnWell offers free access to licensed therapists, curated support groups, and culturally competent wellness resources. The platform will also host community events and wellness programs in partnership with like-minded organizations, fostering authentic connections and expanding mental health access through culturally relevant initiatives.
Gore intentionally designed FoundnWell to operate on a free, accessible model, recognizing the barriers many in the Black community face when seeking mental health care. With a focus on Black entrepreneurs striving to build and scale businesses amid inflation, tariffs, and an unsteady economy, she is steadfast in her belief that a platform like FoundnWell is essential.
”Right now, FoundnWell is offering free therapy to entrepreneurs because we believe access to mental health support shouldn’t be a privilege,” she explained. “For many founders, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, therapy is either financially out of reach or culturally disconnected. We’re removing both of those barriers. Our providers reflect the communities we serve, and our care is designed to speak the language of founder ambition, the pressure, the silence. We’re not just offering services; we’re building a space where support feels both familiar and affirming.”
When designing the Foundnwell model, Gore selected Dr. Amber Dee as the lead therapist. The licensed therapist and founder of Black Female Therapists aligns with FoundnWell’s mission to connect diverse entrepreneurs with licensed professionals in safe, welcoming spaces that eliminate many of the barriers faced by those with or without health insurance. The vision was inspired by Gore’s own experiences navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship.
“It bridges two realities: the entrepreneurial grind and clinical healing,” she said. “As a wellness entrepreneur, I understand the pace, pressures, and pitfalls of building. Our licensed therapist partners bring the clinical tools to help founders navigate those challenges with intention and support. Together, we offer something most wellness platforms miss, the lived language of entrepreneurship, paired with the professional guidance to help founders move through it whole.”
“FoundnWell is a powerful intervention,” adds Dr. Amber Dee. “It’s not just about access — it’s about belonging. When mental health care is designed with our cultural realities in mind, healing becomes not only possible but sustainable.”
Breaking barriers in mental wellness, FoundnWell is built around core offerings such as culturally competent weekly therapy sessions with providers who understand and honor diverse backgrounds, and community support through curated groups and healing-focused content that nurtures connection and personal growth.
Members also enjoy exclusive perks such as access to wellness retreats, partner discounts, and expert-led experiences, along with flexible monthly and annual membership options designed for both affordability and consistency.
”We challenge the myth that struggle is a badge of honor,” Gore said. “Through FoundnWell, we show that rest is a strategy, boundaries are business plans, and mental wellness is not a detour from success, it’s the foundation of it. Our programming centers this truth: you can build powerfully and protect your peace. The goal is no longer to make it out alive, it’s to make it out well.”
Bronx Family Files $60M Wrongful Death Suit, Says Police Responded ‘So What?’ When Toddler Went Missing
The family is suing the police department for wrongful death, negligence, emotional distress, and conscious pain and suffering experienced by Montrell Williams prior to his death.
The mother and grandmother of Montrell Williams, the two-year-old toddler whose body was discovered in the Bronx River by police on June 11, filed a $60 million lawsuit against the NYPD on August 7. The following day, during a press conference, they accused the police of lacking urgency in their search efforts after Montrell went missing on Mother’s Day.
According to Gothamist, Ciera Carroll, the boy’s 17-year-old mother, said in a news conference outside of the NYPD’s 40th Precinct that after she informed them that the father of the child, and the primary suspect in his murder, 20-year-old Arius Williams, had a warrant for his arrest, the NYPD reportedly told her “So what?” in response.
Rev. Kevin McCall, the spokesperson for the family, said that police were aware of domestic violence in the home, and even knowing that history, a family court still chose to allow Williams to have some kind of custody arrangement with the child.
The NYPD “knew that there was a history of domestic violence within the home, that within the home they knew that the father, the mother, the son, whether it was mental abuse or whether it was physical abuse, they knew that because of the history,” McCall told CBS News.
He also told Pix 11 in a separate statement, “Two-year-old Montrell Williams should be here today if it wasn’t for the NYPD being neglectful in finding him. No amount of money will bring him back, however, the NYPD has to be held responsible.”
“I want the NYPD to know what they did. They told me not to follow him and to go to the police to file a complaint,” Carroll said. “I told the police that he had a warrant, they said, ‘So what?’”
According to her mother, 35-year-old Octavia Roane, the police hung up in her daughter’s face after they said “‘So what’.”
“She’s very hurt right now,” Roane said. “The way the police responded, the way they acted towards us, no care in the world.”
In addition to the mother and daughter’s assertions that they called the police multiple times before the police said that they declared the child missing, the toddler’s other set of grandparents said during their son’s arraignment that they filed multiple missing persons reports and officers took longer than a month to officially launch a search after initially referring them to family court.
“They put them on notice that this child is in danger,” Shiraz Khan, a lawyer representing Carroll and Roane in their lawsuit against New York City said. “No Amber alert was issued at all. And, while this child’s life was hanging in the balance, they were pushed to the side.”
According to the complaint filed with the city’s Comptroller’s Office, ”NYPD officers misclassified the call as a custody dispute, failed to initiate a missing child investigation, failed to issue an Amber Alert, and took no immediate steps to locate or safeguard Montrell.”
Per the claim, the family is suing the police department for wrongful death, negligence, emotional distress, and conscious pain and suffering experienced by Montrell Williams prior to his death, which they allege occurred at the hands of his father.
Although NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch asserted that the department is currently investigating how the investigation was handled, a statement from the NYPD’s is sticking to the story that a missing persons claim wasn’t filed until May 11 was released on Aug. 8.
“We will review the lawsuit if and when it is filed. Montrell Williams was murdered on May 10th. The initial complaint was not reported to the NYPD until May 11th,” the department stated.
The NYPD also released a statement previously, asserting their desire to pursue justice for the murder of the two-year-old.
“The murder of Montrell Williams is an absolute tragedy, and the NYPD extends our deepest condolences to his family. Our detectives are always committed to conducting complete and thorough investigations, and the arrest of Arius Williams is the first step in the pursuit of justice for Montrell’s death,” the NYPD stated on Aug. 4.
South Carolina Civil Rights Activist Rev. Joseph Darby Dies Day After 74th Birthday
Darby served as a pastor for several AME churches across South Carolina.
Rev. Joseph Darby Jr., a faith leader and notable civil rights activist in South Carolina, has died.
Darby’s family confirmed his death occurred Aug. 8, a day after his 74th birthday. The Darbys did not disclose a cause of death, but his loved ones did note that he suffered from a long-term illness.
According toWCSC, the Columbia native graduated from the University of South Carolina. Alongside his activism, the reverend served as pastor to several African Methodist Episcopal Churches throughout South Carolina.
His 48-year tenure as a faith leader included his role as a presiding elder of the Beaufort District of the AME Church. Before his death, he also served as pastor of Nichols Chapel AME in Charleston.
In their announcement, Darby’s sons noted how their father carried his ministry into social justice. He advocated for civil rights issues within and beyond the state, establishing a legacy of leadership and sacrifice to help underrepresented people.
“Dad’s ministry was not confined to the pulpit. He carried it into every room he entered, every cause he championed, and every life he touched. “His sermons stirred hearts and souls, but his actions stirred change,” wrote Darby’s son Jason on social media. “He taught us that faith without works is hollow, and that love (especially for the marginalized) is the highest calling.”
State leaders also expressed their condolences for the Darby family. U.S. Rep. James Clyburn called Darby his “good friend” and a “pillar” to South Carolina.
“Reverend Darby was an extraordinary and gifted man — a community leader, servant, and a faithful man of God,” shared Clyburn. “His career has been marked by selfless service to others that comes not only from his dedication to the ministry, but his innate passion and compassion.”
The family has also yet to reveal any funeral arrangements. However, they remember the Reverend’s impact on his congregation and community for the better. As the patriarch was a 15-year colorectal cancer survivor, they encourage others to get screenings for the illness.
“His wisdom and kindness touched countless lives, and his legacy will continue to inspire all of us who were blessed to be part of his journey. We take comfort in knowing that his life’s work will continue through the seeds he planted in the hearts of those he served and loved,” added the sons in their statement.
Norfolk State Alum To Raise $10M For HBCUs In ‘RIDE4MYHBCUs’ Motorcycle Ride Tour
A HBCU alum decided to spread awareness on the funding HBCUs still need.
A Norfolk State University alum hopes to raise over $10 million for HBCUs in an innovative way.
Rod Bell is as proud of his HBCU education as he is of his hot wheels. He will take his custom NSU-themed motorcycle to the streets in a planned visit to over 100 historically Black institutions.
In the “RIDE4MYHBCUs” tour, Bell will travel across the United States to encourage other alumni and general supporters to help out these illustrious schools. His lofty goal in mind is over $10 million, but he believes his mission will drive others to give back.
“It is not to bring awareness to HBCUs because people know about them now,” explained Bell, according to HBCU Gameday. “It’s about motivating those to give and donate — and inspiring alumni to give back to their schools.”
Bell sparked this idea after noticing that the vast majority of HBCUs still struggle to stay afloat and progress due to funding issues. Refusing to wait for political shifts to work in favor of these schools, Bell encourages the HBCU community to take matters into their own hands.
Bell believes he can reach his $10 million pledge by building a coalition of 1,006 alumni donors. If each of these donors gives $106 to their institution, that would amount to $106,636 for each HBCU. This would result in over $11.3 million raised overall to help these schools and the future Black leaders they serve.
This money would not only go toward school facilities. They would also extend toward scholarships and other student resources that would help HBCUs compete at an even higher academic level.
Bell said that while the HBCU pride is evident at events and homecoming season, taking care of these beloved institutions must happen year-round. To keep these traditions going, these schools must stay in operation, and require the help of graduates to do so.
“We show up for the parties and tailgates,” he said. “Now, show up for your school in a different way. Give $106 — and challenge five friends to do the same.”
He rides off onto the HBCU trail Aug. 24, but the giving can start today. Those interested can directly donate $106 to their alma maters while writing RIDE4MYHBCUs in the memo. General supporters can also support Bell’s NSU endowment fund through its own donation link.
“This journey isn’t about me — it’s about us and the future of our HBCUs,” added Bell. “Let’s make history together.”
Those wanting to specifically support Bell and his RIDE4MYHBCUs motorcycle journey can do so as well. Corporate sponsors can also help out, contacting ride4myhbcus@gmail.com for any inquiry.
Body Of Black Teen Who Went Missing During Family Trip To Florida Found In Pond
Pelletier's family had hired a private investigation group to find him.
The body of a Black teen who went missing while on a family trip in Florida has been found in a pond.
According to ABC 11, private search efforts discovered the body Aug. 8, with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office later identifying it as Giovanni Pelletier. Pelletier’s remains were located near his backpack, specifically in a retention pond near an interstate in the Florida county.
The 18-year-old’s family had hired a private investigation group, who ultimately found the body on their first day of searching, despite authorities previously looking through the same area. The teenager was a recent graduate of Fuquay-Varina High School, a public school based in its namesake city in North Carolina.
With the investigation into his death now unfolding, his family now grieves the loss of their loved one. His mother, Bridgette Pelletier, posted to Facebook about the unfortunate turn of events.
“My son was recently found after a desperate search by OUR FAMILY ALONE, and we are still facing an active investigation into his death,” shared the grieving mother. “I am living every parent’s worst nightmare, trying to find the strength to give him the goodbye he deserves.”
Pelletier reportedly sent his mother a “Mom help” text before disappearing Aug. 1. He had left in a car with his cousins to visit his dad’s side of the family in Florida.
Authorities could not determine any foul play upon initial observation of the body. However, they intend to complete an autopsy, with a toxicology report also underway.
His cousin reportedly told authorities that Pelletier was behaving erratically about 20 minutes into their ride. They also alleged that he pulled out a knife, prompting them to leave him on the side of the road.
Pelletier’s mother also toldPeople that the cousins made “no effort” besides one call to to let her know her son fled. A retired FBI Special Agent, Frank Brostrom, also shared that the cousin’s recount of what happened appears “very hokey,” with further investigation needed to reveal what led to his death.
“Maybe he had some kind of episode and panicked, ran out of the car, and you know, fell into the water somehow,” Brostrom said to ABC11. “It just sounds very hokey that that would be the situation, but the fact that he called asking for help several times with different family members is something that they really are probably focusing on.”
Previously covered on BLACK ENTERPRISE, the young man had texted several other relatives asking for help. Pelletier leaves behind four siblings as investigators continue to discover what happened to the teenager.
Mississippi’s Tougaloo College To Form Band For The First Time
Tougaloo College entered into an agreement with Jacktown All Star Band to create the first band in the history of the 155-year-old private HBCU.
On Aug. 5, Mississippi’s Tougaloo College entered into an agreement with Jacktown All Star Band to create the first band in the history of the 155-year-old private, historically Black liberal arts college.
As Dr. Latoya Haymer, Tougaloo College’s Transformation Resource Officer, told WLBT, “We are not just adding music to the campus –we are expanding the heartbeat of this institution. I am incredibly proud to be part of this momentous step forward to our students and community.”
Jonathan Garland, the founder and band director of the Jacktown All-Star Band (JAB), echoed Dr. Haymer’s comments.
“This is bigger than music — this is about legacy, leadership, and giving students something to be proud of for generations to come,” Garland told the outlet.
The partnership between the JAB and the university arrived after months of conversations, planning, and extended discussions about the alignment of values between the school and the JAB, this also culminated in the establishment of JAB scholarships, which offer members of the band a path to education at the university.
Unlike many other HBCUs, Tougaloo College does not have a football program, which is commonly associated with marching bands.
Therefore, the band is expected to give the university an additional avenue to build tradition, identity, and school spirit, as well as pride in the university and the potential to create more exposure for a university that is more well-known for its legacy of contributions to civil rights and as the alma mater of Rep. Bennie Thompson.
According to Visit Jackson, the university has its roots in the story of the Amistad Rebellion, an uprising aboard the ship of the same name wherein captive Africans aboard the ship killed some of their captors and took over the vessel.
The high-profile case related to the rebellion, which saw John Quincy Adams argue on behalf of the rights of those captured Africans to defend themselves from being made slaves, was eventually sent to the Supreme Court, where Senior Justice Joseph Story authored the Court’s decision in favor of the Africans who rebelled.
That history of resistance undoubtedly shaped the atmosphere of the university, as Nsombi Lambright-Haynes, an alumnus of the university and the Executive Director of One Voice, a nonprofit organization, told Visit Jackson.
“The history of Tougaloo College definitely shaped my career path and who I am as a person today. We were definitely fed with all of the history of the Civil Rights Movement regardless of what our major was. We had to attend chapel services and classes about the civil rights movement. Different speakers came in, such as Cornell West, Stokely Carmichael, and Nikki Giovanni. I mean, these people came to our campus on an annual basis while I was a student here,” Lambright-Haynes said.
Restoration Underway For Historic Black Business Hub Designed By America’s First Black Architect In Alabama
The project expects to be completed in three years, restoring the Prince Hall Masonic Temple to its original legacy.
The restoration of a Black business hub founded by the first Black architect in the United States is in the works.
Located in the Civil Rights District of Birmingham, Alabama, the Prince Hall Masonic Temple served as historic hub for Black businesses during the Jim Crow era. Established in 2022 by Robert Robinson Taylor, the aforementioned Black trailblazer in architecture, the Renaissance-Revival style building offered Black organizations and professionals the opportunity to service Black patrons within Birmingham.
Its particular directory and services led to its nickname of the “Black Skyscraper,” according to the National Parks Service. Although originally a temple for Freemasonry, its eight stories granted an office space for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as well as the Booker T. Washington Library, the first of its kind in Birmingham to allow Black people.
“The vision was to not only have this be a building for the Masons, but for the larger community,” explained Llevelyn Rhone, director of Direct Invest Development, to WHBM. “A place where you could get those services that you were unwelcome to in other parts of the city at the time.”
Its rooms were filled with dental and doctor’s offices, and even spaces for entertainment, such as a bowling alley and pool hall. Black seamstresses and cobblers could establish work there, while Black people could even sit anywhere within its 2,000 seat auditorium, a rare occurrence during that time.
“If they sat in the balcony of the auditorium, it was by choice, not because they had to,” shared Corey Hawkins, the grand master of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons of Alabama. “African Americans could enter the front door of the building and not the back door.”
However, economic shifts plagued the country and the temple, leading to the business hub shutting down in 2011. Although gone for over a decade, its legacy and upliftment of Black entrepreneurs remain felt, resulting in the current revival efforts.
The project will take an estimated three years to complete, with expected costs upwards of $30 million. They hope to follow the same communal spirit that fostered its initial construction in 1922, as the surrounding Black community raised the then-costs of $658,000 to fund the venture.
“It’s time for us to pay back and to serve the temple and give it a restoration that will bring it back to its heyday,” added Hawkins.
Its restoration will not only honor the architect, but also the building’s 100-year legacy within Birmingham and Black history. Historic District developers intend to maintain as much of its original structure as possible.
National Black Association Of Black Bookstores Launches To Assist Black Bookstores
The organization was founded by Kevin Johnson, former NBA player, Sacramento bookstore owner, and ex-mayor.
On Aug. 6, the National Association of Black Bookstores, a member-based nonprofit organization, launched to promote literacy, amplify Black voices, and preserve Black culture.
The organization was founded by Kevin Johnson, a former NBA player and the owner of Underground Books in Sacramento, California, as well as the former mayor of the city from 2008 to 2016.
As Johnson told Publishers Weekly, he wanted to honor the memory of his mother, “Mother Rose” Peat West, the original founder of Underground Books, who died in December 2024.
“I wanted to start NAB2 to honor her legacy because she cherished Black bookstores and wanted to see them thrive,” he told the outlet. “My goal in helping to found the organization was to bring the experts together, couple them with significant resources, and ensure that communities could reap the benefits of Black bookstores for generations to come.”
Although the American Booksellers Association has been criticized for not adequately addressing the needs and concerns of Black booksellers, Johnson stressed that those booksellers not join his organization as an alternative to the ABA because he wants to work with them to create more opportunities for Black bookstores.
Among the board members of Johnson’s group are Maati Primm of Marahall’s Music and Book Store in Jackson, Miss., which was founded in 1938, and Yvonne Black of Hakim’s Bookstore in Philadelphia, founded in 1959, as well as and Onikah Asamoa-Caesar of Fulton Street Books & Coffee in Tulsa, Okla., and Dara Landry of Class Bookstore in Houston, both of which were founded in 2020.
In addition, other board members include Jordan Harris of Alkebu-Lan Images in Nashville; Janet Webster Jones of Source Booksellers in Detroit; Blanche Richardson of Marcus Books in Oakland, Calif.; and Troy Johnson of African American Book Lit Club in Tampa, Fla. Lucille O’Neal, best known as the mother of former basketball player Shaquille O’Neal, and also an author in her own right, is also a board member.
The board members, specifically Jones and Landry, also noted that NAB2 could be used to build out an entire supply chain to support Black authors and Black bookstores.
According to Jones, NAB2 is “an effort to pull together Black booksellers and stores in an overarching organization that would not just advocate, but also partner with other aspects of the industry. We want these new bookstores to use the resources that are just waiting for them,” Jones continued. “NAB2 can help them with all that. This organization can support and assist in ways we haven’t even figured out yet.”
Ahead of the announcement from Johnson and NAB2, the Black Bookstore Coalition, headed by Ramunda Lark Young, the owner of Washington D.C.’s Mahogany Books, released a public letter disclosing that Johnson wanted the groups to unite under his leadership, but her group ultimately decided against his proposal.
“After thoughtful discussion and a leadership vote, we’ve decided not to align with [NAB2] and will continue our work independently,” Young wrote in her letter. “Our decision was shaped by member concerns about the significant overlap in missions, the timing and rollout of the request, and elements of Mr. Johnson’s public record that warrant reflection and due diligence.”
She continued, “We believe there’s room for multiple efforts to thrive. Groups such as the ABA’s DEI Committee, regional bookselling associations, and many others are also working hard on initiatives that support us and this ecosystem. We believe this work must always be rooted in care, community trust, shared values, and collective vision.”
