AFRIKANAH BOOK CLUB
ABOUT US
Afrikanah Book Club is a Black-woman-owned bookstore, publishing house, and cafe in the historic Freetown community of Lafayette, Louisiana. Our story began in 2018 as a Houston-based book club, and like the mission of our club, our store exclusively carries books written by Black women authors from around the world--from the African continent to the African Diaspora. Our bookstore houses an array of different genres, from fiction and children's books to poetry and memoirs. It highlights local authors and stories centered around the experiences of members of the African Diaspora.
Our Lafayette programs include the Authoress Noire Program and Artist Noire Programs, Gardener-in-Residence, Community Fellowship, Freetown Rhymes, and Lit in Lafayette.
Our Houston programs include Lit in the 5th and Watoto Book Bus. Watoto Book Bus, a collaboration with The Re-Education Project, is a library on wheels which fosters literature access for youth.
OUR WHY
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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.
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There are even fewer owned by Black women.
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There are currently no bookstores in the Fifth Ward community, Black-owned or otherwise.
OUR SPACE
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.
OUR STORE
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.
FOUNDER
Afrikanah Book Club was founded by Dr. Lindsay Gary (PhD, MFA, MA, MPA) in February 2018. She is a professor-scholar, multidisciplinary artivist, and Afrocentric entrepreneur whose mission is to educate, connect, and empower the African Diaspora.
"Afrikanah Book Club is a safe space for Black women to grow, learn, connect, and celebrate ourselves."
The New Red Book by Dr. Gary highlights the history of Houston through the perspective of place - 50 cultural organizations and sites created and sustained by African Americans.
TEAM
Morgan Netters (they/them)
Laylah Jordan
Digital Marketing
Lafeyette Fellow
RECENT
PRESS
Lindsay Gary awarded grant from City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA)
cw39.com
The Importance of Freetown-Port Rico in Lafayette, Louisiana
medium.com
AFRIKANAH BOOK CLUB'S
FIRST BOOK STORE
Our bookstore houses 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.