AFRIKANAH BOOK CLUB'S LAFAYETTE BOOKSTORE
ADDRESS
820 E. Vermilion St.
Lafayette, LA 70501
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM THU. Only
PROGRAMS
Authoress Noire
The Afrikanah Book Club Authoress Noire Program is a 6-month program for Black Women authors who would like to sell their books to a larger audience. It is based at Afrikanah Book Club’s new bookstore in the Freetown neighborhood of Lafayette, Louisiana.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Freetown Sounds
More informaion coming soon!
Artist Noire
The Afrikanah Book Club Artist Noire Program is a 3-month artist program for Black Artists. It is based at Afrikanah Book Club’s new bookstore in the Freetown neighborhood of Lafayette, Louisiana. This opportunity is open to Black artists of various mediums who are interested in selling their pieces to a larger audience.
Applications are due Sunday, December 3rd, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
Gardener-in-Residence
The Gardner-in-Residence program will partner with us to transforming our store into a vibrant oasis of botanical beauty. As part of this unique program, we'll provide selected participants with a curated selection of plants to host at our store. Whether you're a seasoned horticulturalist or just beginning your plant journey, this opportunity is perfect for anyone who wants to showcase their gardening skills and share their passion for plants with our community. This position is currently filled.
About This Location
Afrikanah Book Club Lafayette Bookstore Mary & Dautrive's Story
It’s the turn of the 20th century. There’s a young Black pregnant woman walking into a store in rural Southwest Louisiana. She’s going to pick up a few items. As she enters, she’s attacked. The attacker is a muscular white man. She tries to fight, but with her growing belly, his size, and her awareness of her perceived inferiority in the deep South, there isn’t much she can do. She grows hopeless as he continues his assault. She grows wearier and wearier but just as she begins to give up, a Black man comes out of nowhere. He fights off the attacker, enabling her to flee.
That man was Dautrive Gary, one of my paternal great grandfathers. A hero. A protector of Black women. According to the family’s oral history, it was during this confrontation that he lost one of his eyes.
He was born in 1870 here in Freetown, Lafayette, Louisiana. He worked on the railroad and helped to build the neighborhood, including The Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.
He was married to my great grandmother, Mary. She was a warrior too, and a queen-mother of 16 children.
Mary and Dautrive are the guardians of Afrikanah Book Club Lafayette. Their legacy in this community lives on through the work we do.
–Dr. Lindsay Gary, Owner
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