About
Afrikanah Book Club was founded in 2018 in Houston, Texas. Since its inception, the club has grown tremendously. It has not only expanded to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but has also been a virtual book club since 2019. The club has membership from Oakland, California to Queens, New York.
Mission
To facilitate a space where young black women can gather socially and grow intellectually through the exploration of literature produced by black women and literary works with strong black female characters and subject matters.
We're Building a Bookstore!
Our Why
-There a currently very few Black-owned bookstores. An estimated 6% of all indie bookstores in this country are owned by African Americans. When we don't own our own stores, we don't control our own narrative.
-There are even fewer owned by Black women.
-There are currently no bookstores in the Fifth Ward community, Black-owned or otherwise.
Our Building
Our building is non-traditional. It will be an eco-friendly building, a renovated used shipping container. It has been designed by an African American architectural lead. We are aiming to locate the building in the Fifth Ward neighborhood.
Our Store
Our bookstore will house an array of books of different genres, from fiction to children's books. Like the mission of our club, our store will exclusively carry books written by Black women authors from around the world. It will also highlight Black-owned publishing companies, local authors, and stories centered around the experiences of members of the African Diaspora.
Ultimately, it will be a space of community, activated not just through book sales, but through activities and programming for all ages, including our signature book club.
Your funds will go directly to the following costs:
-Architectural and Engineering
-Construction and Design
-Permits and Administrative
-Inventory
-Programming
Join us in changing the 6%! Donate today and share our story with everyone you know!
Thank you in advance for investing in our dream, in our community, and in our narratives!
"Afrikanah Book Club is a safe space for Black women to grow, learn, connect, and celebrate ourselves."
-Lindsay Gary
Founder & Curator
Testimonials
"We have deeply enjoyed our partnership with Afrikanah Book Club. They were the first book club to host an event in our space and have supported our growth from the very beginning. We are now more than partners. We are sisters. Looking forward to the future of our sisterhood blossoming for years to come." -Harriett's Bookshop (Philadelphia)
This book club comes at a particular special time in my personal life and exploration of Black women scholarship. Afrikanah Book Club has such a vibrant variety of genres that keeps me excited for our conversations! I’m so glad that I found this community! -Jennifer (Chicago)
I’ve been with Afrikanah Book Club since its inception and have enjoyed every book, meet up, and members! I appreciate Lindsay for the creation and facilitation of the space for black women to come together, share and grow through black literature. -Terhea (Beaumont)