Black bookstores in the United States have a history stretching back nearly two centuries, with deep connections to literacy, access, culture, community, activism, and Black freedom. For this Black Bookstores Through the Years history break, we’re going back to 1834 and the work of David Ruggles, an abolitionist, journalist, activist, and entrepreneur recognized as the first known Black bookstore owner in the United States. David Ruggles and the First Known Black Bookstore In