Black Books Matter
ANACOSTIA— The vibe at Mahogany Books is far from that of the quiet local public library or faceless chain bookstore.
Early Thursday afternoon, classical music from the lobby piano filled the air. Customers of all ages roamed the 500 -square foot suite, filled with an impressive selection of over 25 categories of books all of which are written for and by the black community.
“How much is this bag?” a customer asked Angela Spring. Spring is a partner at Mahogany Books as well as owner and founder of Duende District, a new pop up book store with two other locations. The black tote reads “Decolonize your mind” and has the Duende District logo underneath, a message that is not lost on Sari Houston, the customer who bought it for $15.
Houston is no stranger to bookstores. She frequents Mahogany Books in the Anacostia Art Center on Good Hope road despite living in Northeast D.C. Today, she brought her six-year-old niece and her mother who owned Carol’s Essentials Ethnic Gifts and Books in Seattle for over 50 years to visit the store for the first time. “Recalling history, our ancestors were penalized for being able to read you could lose your life,” Houston explained looking at the bag. “The colonizer's understood what reading actually did that, it could open yourself up to freedom,” she said about the importance of books and representation in the black community.
Before Mahogany owners Ramunda Young and Derrick Young opened up the area had not seen a bookstore in 20 years. A report released by the University of District of Columbia shows that the predominantly black Ward 8, is the second most illiterate ward after Ward 7. Mahogany Books ended the Anacostia bookstore drought when they opened their doors in Southeast D.C. last November. The bookstore hosts reading initiatives for children, parenting classes, creating writing workshops, book readings and more. Today, they have cultivated a loyal following of readers, authors, and poets who visit the store often.
“We are very selective with who we who pick as our guest,” Co-Owner Ramunda Young said. Recently the store featured special guest, Beverly Bond, the author and creator of Black Girls Rock phenomenon. “Girl it was exciting,” Young said about having Bond at her store. “But it also speaks to our abilities as entrepreneurs and social-preneurs.” The bookstore owner said she feels a responsibility to not only bring the guest that speak to communities needs.
Before opening their brick and mortar location, Mahogany Books operated as an online store for ten years. Entrepreneurs and book fanatics, Young and her husband started the business with two intentions. “We wanted to make an impact on the community and maintain the home life.” The Youngs named their store for their now 13-year-old daughter Mahogany. Mahogany Books expanded to a physical location following a meeting with the Anacostia Art Center and Duende District last June. “It was like we got to realize the dream we had all along,” Young said about the move. “Seeing and meeting people who are excited and supporting the dream you had in your two bedroom apartment is awesome.” Young also that her audience has gotten a boost.“Going online allowed people no matter where they lived to get to
us, but since opening the store the business has grown.”
Representation is equally important to Duende District, Mahogany Book’s collaborative partner. “A bookstore should reflect its community,” Spring said. “This is a black community. It was important to me, that if there is going to be a bookstore here it should be a black bookstore.” Duende also caters to the Asian community at its Union Market location with partner Trolli Moli. These bookstores are a part of an upward trend in indie bookstores that have found a way to reinvent themselves in order to thrive in a Kindle Amazon world.
Four years ago the African American Literature book club posted a list of nearly 200 black-owned bookstores that have closed their doors, including Carol’s Essentials ethnic gifts and books in Seattle, Washington. Today, the tides seem to be shifting. In addition to Mahogany Books, the area will also soon be home to the seventh Busboys and Poets location as well as the Charnice A. Milton Community Bookstore. The Milton bookstore will be commissioned by the mother of Carnice Milton the 27-year-old community reporter who was shot and killed three years ago in the Anacostia community as she waited for her bus. These locally owned and community focused ventures not only allow their owners to make money in an untapped market but offers the community a safe place to connect to learn and connect.
“Our customers tell us it feels like love in here.”