Today is (the very first) National Black Bookstore day!

The National Association of Black Bookstores (NAB2), a group launched last Juneteenth by Kevin Johnson of Sacramento’s Underground Books, has announced a new holiday: National Black Bookstore Day.

As Publishers Weekly reported this morning, this first-of-its-kind national observance means to honor the “cultural, economic, and community impact of Black-owned bookstores across the United States.” And, surprise! It’s today.

According to a report NAB2 published this February, there are currently 306 Black-owned bookstores in the U.S. that represent “approximately 8% of all indie bookstores.”

As Claire Kirsh observed, “90% of those stores report annual revenue under $250,000, and 36% operate without a permanent, brick-and-mortar location.” So there’s quite a ways to go before we reach indie equity.

There is also a paucity on the national level. Only 36 states can boast a Black-owned indie at all.

NAB2 is the second such organization to make Black-owned indie bookstores their central cause. The Black Bookstore Coalition, which was founded in 2020, was the first of its kind. But the new kid on the block has been busy for its first year of operation.

Via the African American Mayors Association, NAB2 has partnered with leaders in more than 15 cities to raise awareness for what it hopes will be a recurring event.

And on the business end, NAB2 has sought out lucrative partnerships with literary-minded CEOS. Like the founder of Vista Equity Partners, who is celebrating today with a sizable donation of money and books to HBCU students at 19 different schools.

If you, a humble citizen, want to join the party, there’s a small and easy way to get involved. This fine spring day, consider patronizing a local BoB.

New Yorkers inclined to stroll can lean on this guide. But if you’re far from a hub, or don’t know where to begin? The National Association of Bookstores keeps this handy directory.

You can tag your purchase with #NationalBlackBookstoreDay, to help amplify Black literary spaces.